Star Trek: The Mass Effect
by Jed Rhodes
Summary: Commander John Shepard of the Federation Starship USS Normandy faces demons from his past that now threaten both Council Space and the Federation...
1. Prologues

**AN: This story has been updated and re-edited slightly as of Tuesday 2nd July to remove several minor errors/inconsistencies. This is not an exhaustive removal, merely a spring clean.**

**Essentially, this story a great big mesh up of Star Trek and Mass Effect, with the times all messed up too (so please, with the greatest of respect, don't bother reviewing saying "Mass Effect happened in the 22nd Century", because I know; Mass Effect also didn't have Borg). A full timelines of altered events from the Star Trek side will be at the end of the story (as of writing this, as yet unposted).**

**Before we start, I'll warn you about a few things that might put you off reading - The Borg are the main villains (so if Voyager Borged you out, you might want to think twice before reading), a lot of the events are similar to Mass Effect but with a Trek twist (so if novelisations aren't your thing, even crossovered variations, don't read) this is going to be a Shepard/Tali fic (Talimancers forever!), and there are some non-canon Trek elements included (specifically Hazard Suits from Star Trek Elite Force).**

**I hope you enjoy reading this fic as much as I have enjoyed writing it.**

* * *

**Prologue 1: Galactic History In Brief.**

_Extract from "The United Federation of Planets: an in-depth study of the human race and its close allies, including their technological achievements" by Dr Vars Melron._

**Foreword: A Brief History of the Federation.**

It is perhaps one of the more curious things that can be noted about the nature of the universe that creatures with shorter life spans achieve a great deal more in their brief time than those with longer lifespans in the same given time. It is almost as if they are attempting to compensate for their lack of lifespan by achieving twice as much. This had been proven many times: after all, many greatly respected scientific minds in Citadel Space are Salarian, and so it is that humans - almost as short lived as my own illustrious species - have achieved so much after only a few short centuries of being a space-faring power.

The story of how humanity - and the United Federation of Planets they have formed, together with several other space-faring races in their local cluster - became an important power in Citadel Space began in a remarkably humble place, and yet this story demonstrates how humans can be a stunningly resourceful species. Shortly after a devastating conflict on their homework they refer to as the "Third World War", a nuclear conflict that nearly destroyed their species, a scientist named Zephram Cochrane, with comparatively few resources at his disposal and little help, achieved the first FTL flight (commonly referred to as the "first warp flight") in that species' history, in the experimental ship _Phoenix_. The _Phoenix_, built into the hull of a converted nuclear missile, was a primitive vessel, barely able to achieve the speed of light, and yet it's flight was enough to gain the attention of the Vulcans - humanity's first allies in space, and another space-faring power, albeit one relatively unconcerned with exploration.

Over the next few decades, with the help of their new allies, the humans began a process of scientifically-minded exploration of surrounding space as well as the expansion of the United Earth Starfleet, thanks largely to the efforts of Dr Henry Archer and his son Captain Jonathan Archer, the former a leading warp drive specialist who helped build the first Warp 5 engine (old scale - see Chapter Sixty, "Federation Warp Drive and it's Development", for details), and the latter the Captain of the Earth Starfleet ship _Enterprise_, the precursor to the Federation Starfleet's long line of vessels to bear that name (see Chapter Eighteen, "The _Enterprise_ Legacy", for more details on this).

It is a tendency of some Citadel races to forget the importance of the Warp propulsion systems built by the humans, Andorians, Vulcans and other species from their corner of the galaxy when compared to the Mass Relays, but the achievements of these species must not be discounted. The Warp Drive may not allow for the speedy travel across the length and breadth of the galaxy in the same way the Mass Relays do, but importantly, they are the most efficient non-Relay travel methods known, and unlike any other Citadel species, these few did not utilise Prothean technology at all: every innovation, every single effort, every scrap of new technology – all of it came from the innovation of these species, not from the relics of a dead race.

Once humanity left their home system, they began (as I stated earlier) a process of exploration, sending their first Warp 5 ship (the _Enterprise_ NX-01) on a mission that consisted of learning what was in the universe around them for its own sake, which, although it may seem a strange goal, was one that drove the human race's earliest attempts at space travel and in many ways still drives the Federation today. Despite obstacles, setbacks, early conflicts with neighbouring species and other incidents, the humans - thanks largely to efforts by the aforementioned Captain Archer - formed what is known as the "United Federation of Planets", an alliance of worlds not unlike the Citadel Council, but bonded more tightly: the worlds in the Federation no longer had their own defence fleets as the races of the Citadel do, but rather each contributed toward the new Federation Starfleet - a single military/scientific force that combines the roles of exploration and research with the role of a military defence force (for more on Starfleet, see Chapter Ten, "Starfleet: Force For Good?").

It was Starfleet that first discovered the Mass Relays and through them, the Citadel and surrounding space. The USS _Enterprise_ NCC 1701-C, under the command of Captain Rachel Garrett, was sent through the relay to explore, utilising an experimental Mass Relay drive as well as its traditional Warp Core. Reportedly, the Captain was expecting more Prothean ruins, and was suitably taken aback by the presence of an alliance of powerful spacefaring civilisations, but nonetheless she opened diplomatic relations with the Citadel, establishing the beginnings of the relationship now shared between the Federation and the Citadel (see Chapter Three, "The Citadel and the Federation", for more details). Garrett's diplomatic prowess was such that her achievements, and those of her crew, were honoured by a statue of the _Enterprise-C_ on the Presidium.

Since that time, now almost twenty years past, the Federation and the Citadel have maintained cordial relations, the Federation colonising many worlds in various regions of space it was previously unable to reach, and in return allowing Council races to have holdings in Federation space as they so choose, as well as the right to serve in the Federation's Starfleet, an honour that as of yet only a few members of the Citadel races have chosen to accept. For their part, the Federation have also helped mediate several important conflicts in Citadel space, but more importantly, they have defended not only their own colonies but others as well, earning the gratitude and respect of all the Citadel races.

* * *

**Prologue 2: Starfleet's Finest.**

**2373.**

Admiral Joseph Wilson of Starfleet Academy's application board looked over the latest applicant with some interest.

The Citadel races - the name given to most of the species beyond the Mass Relays - usually made up only a small percentage of total intakes at the academy. It was especially unusual to see members of the quarian people - nomadic travellers bereft of their own home-world - join up, and yet, here she was. A quarian female, young and looking very nervous, if her body language was any indication. Quarians were considerably more emotionally expressive with their body language than most other species tended to be; a cultural and sociological side effect of the environmental suits they wore.

Wilson was conducting her final interview - her aptitude rating for Starfleet academy was well within the acceptable bounds, and Wilson had no doubt she'd make an excellent Engineer on a Starship one day _if_ admitted into the academy, but that was only going to happen if he said so, and he would only say so if he felt she was suitably Starfleet material. It was her aptitude that necessarily worried him, but her motivation.

"Well," he said, once she had entered his office and stood at rough attention, "you have technical skill and experience on your side, Miss... nar Rayya?" He hesitated, remembering long forgotten briefings on quarian culture. "No, forgive me, that's the name of the ship you were born on. It would be Miss Zorah, wouldn't it?"

"Yes sir," she said quietly. Wilson doubted she would ever have brought it up herself.

"As I said, you have the necessary series to join the fleet," Wilson continued. "More than enough in fact." The quarian shifted slightly under the praise, clearly not comfortable with it any more than she was the entire situation. "I have no doubt you'd be a boon to any ship you served on."

"Thank you sir," Tali'Zorah nar Rayya replied, formally. Clearly she was used to addressing admiralty, probably due to the fact that her life had been ship-bound.

"I do have a query about your intentions in Starfleet, however," the Admiral began tentatively. The young woman tensed slightly, possibly sensing that this was where her case to join the academy would be affected. "Specifically your intention to stay, or not, as the case might be."

"I'm afraid I don't follow, sir," Zorah said, sounding slightly confused.

"Then let me be plain, Miss Zorah," Admiral Wilson said, leaning back in his chair slightly. "We've had a few quarians join Starfleet before. So far none have stayed with the fleet more than a few months after gaining a shipboard posting. Most cite a 'pilgrimage' of some form as their reason for leaving." Wilson leaned forward. "I'm not going to bar you from entering Starfleet if you tell me now your intention is to do the same, that's not fair on you. But I need to make a note in your file if it is your intention to leave the fleet in the same way. It's unfair for a Starship Captain to get a skilled officer without knowing that officer is going to leave within a few months. That sort of thing can mess with the dynamic of a Starship's crew after all."

Zorah was silent for a moment, apparently considering his words carefully.

"Sir," she said at last, "I would be lying if I said my loyalty wasn't first to the flotilla." Wilson nodded, sitting back in his chair as he waited for her to continue. "But," she added, and a serious earnestness came into her voice, "I came here to join Starfleet. To learn about other cultures. To see new worlds. To serve on one of your ships - and believe me sir, those ships are truly beautiful, there's no way I'm going to give up the opportunity to work on one -!"

Wilson held up a hand to forestall her babbling, a smile on his face.

"So you're in the Fleet for the long haul?" he asked.

"As long as I'm wanted, sir," Zorah replied earnestly. Wilson favoured her with a smile.

"Alright then," he said, standing up and extending a hand. "Welcome to Starfleet, Cadet Tali'Zorah near Rayya."

"Thank you sir," the quarian replied, taking the hand and shaking it firmly. "I promise I won't let you down."

* * *

Saren Arterius, Turian and Spectre agent of the Citadel, blinked in surprise at what he just read. He must have misread the orders, he reasoned, because they could not be saying what he thought they were saying, that would just be plain stupid.

He read them again.

No. They still read the same when he re-read them.

No, this was silly. They couldn't be asking him to do this, there was no way they were being that stupid. Maybe… maybe if he closed his eyes and opened them again, the orders would not be what he was seeing in front of him...

No. Still pretty damn clear.

Damn.

_'FAO: Saren Arterius, Spectre._

_Having received and studied updated intelligence from the United Federation of Planets concerning a race called "the Borg", a scientific team has recommended locating, infiltrating and studying a Borg vessel and its occupants in order to better understand and combat the threat this race poses to all species in Citadel space. An opportunity to do so has arisen - a damaged Borg vessel has been located in the Artemis Tau cluster. Your mission is to secure it for study by whatever means you can._

_Good luck._

_Sparatus, turian Councillor.'_

This was insane. Beyond insane. What this said… how could the Council think this was a good idea? Or even a passable idea? What _idiot_ on the Council had ever approved this?

Saren had read up on the Borg repeatedly, of course, as part of his mandate to protect Citadel Space. Their abilities, their vessels - and the assimilation process. That they had never openly invaded the rest of the galaxy en masse surprised him. Clearly they had the power to, and Saren firmly believed in the application of power. They had never even openly attacked Citadel Space, for the most part restricting themselves to the occasional raid, but never revealing their presence - any attacks were _suspected_, not _proven_. There was never any evidence left.

There was never anything left at all.

It would no doubt be dangerous to try and take a Borg ship, to secure anything useful for the scientists, but Saren had to. It was his job after all. He sighed and punched in the co-ordinates. In one regard, he was fortunate - his researches had indicated that Borg did not attack unless you proved yourself a threat, and that they possessed no ranged combat ability in person. Provided he prevented the Borg from touching him, he should be fine.

He hoped.

* * *

Dr Liara T'Soni scanned another ruin on Feros with her old Federation-issue tricorder. While she preferred omni-tools for a considerable amount of her work, Federation science tricorders were pretty handy at their job - even if they did feel a bit unwieldy by comparison to the entirely digital and holographic omni-tool.

She was just beginning a series of expeditions to study the extinction of the Prothean species. While there were few in Citadel Space willing to fund her (as if only being in her early hundreds was actually a good reason to deny her the chance to prove her theories!), the Federation Archaeology Commission had seen the potential value of her work, and agreed to send her on an expedition. They had even paired her with Professor T'Sal of Vulcan, a noted expert in the Federation on Prothean ruins.

T'Sal was a severe looking woman, her short hair cut in an efficient bowl cut. She was cold and bluntly logical, approaching everything analytically.

A lot of Vulcans were supposedly like that, or so Liara had heard - she had found it difficult to imagine a race so emotionless before she had met her first Vulcan. Nonetheless, the Professor was a boon to her work. T'Sal had been a student of more recent archeological treasures until recently, when after a half century studying various Alpha Quadrant civilisations, she had decided to study the Protheans. She had in fact been considering approaching Liara to assist her before the young Asari had endeavoured to contact the Archaeology Commission; her exact words when asked why had been, "your knowledge of Prothean technology and history is impressive".

That vaguely complementary sentence was as close to effusive praise, Liara later realised, as Vulcans ever got, and Liara had since learned to take such vague complements in the spirit they were intended.

She and T'Sal had decided to begin their long work by scanning the ruins of Feros. While it was unlikely that they would learn over-much that was not already common knowledge, it would perhaps prove a good starting point, a base against which to study Prothean architecture and style.

"Fascinating," her Vulcan associate said from across the room. Liara enjoyed the Vulcan's company more than she thought she might - the woman's emotionless nature made her much easier to deal with. "These ruins are incredibly ancient, and yet still, I would judge them to be viable as living spaces – one could move a fully functional colony into this area in only one month. I do not believe I have ever encountered this in any ruins before."

"These are some of the best preserved ruins I've seen," Liara replied, checking her scans again.

"I imagine fifty years of research into the Protheans has given you some fascinating insights," T'Sal noted. It was perhaps unusual for a Vulcan to make small talk in this manner, but Liara knew it wasn't an attempt to make any kind of conversation, but a simple logical deduction being stated for consideration. Vulcans were like that.

"It has," Liara said, confirming T'Sal's hypothesis for her with a soft smile. "But I could spend a millennium studying them and still not learn everything."

"You are fortunate to have that time," T'Sal replied, another logical observation.

"Perhaps so," Liara said. She ran her tricorder over more of the ruins. "Interesting - according to this tricorder, none of this matches the construction of the Citadel."

"Certainly, not all of it would," T'Sal said, looking over at her. "The Citadel is impressive but it is a space station, not a planet-bound city, the construction needs would be considerably different."

"It isn't just the materials that are different," Liara said, now positively perplexed by these scan results. She found herself grateful for the little bulky scanning tool - it had picked up on something she would never have noticed. "This is comparatively easy to scan."

"Your point?" T'Sal asked, looking over at her.

"If you ever try scanning the Citadel, its basic structure is made of materials that your tricorders can't identify," Liara explained. "But this is basically a highly advanced and reinforced concrete-esque mixture."

"You mean that the material of the Citadel is too advanced to have been made by the same people who built this place?" T'Sal said, walking over to Liara and checking her results.

"It would seem that way," Liara said. T'Sal looked over the results and methodically checked them against her own tricorder.

"A logical deduction," she concluded finally. She frowned, the greatest expression of emotion a Vulcan could have. "And it brings up the question: did the Protheans build the Citadel?"

"If they didn't, who did?" Liara asked sceptically. The idea that something more advanced than the Protheans had built the Citadel was... unprecedented.

"Precisely," T'Sal said, the frown furrowing her face. "Precisely."


	2. New Mission

**Chapter One: New Mission.**

**2375.**

Captain Jean-Luc Picard sighed in frustration, putting his hand to his forehead to stow the inevitable headache that this entire situation would almost certainly cause for him. He made a mental note to have a good cup of tea later.

Across from him in the briefing room sat David Anderson, a fellow Starfleet captain, whose stern, serious countenance and military haircut belied a warmer nature, and next to him Ambassador Donnel Udina, frowning severely from beneath his pronounced grey widow's peak. Further along from them both sat Admiral Hayes, also frowning thoughtfully, his grey hair thinning slightly with age and stress (which given the last few years, Picard could easily forgive).

They were on board the USS _Enterprise_ NCC 1701-E, Picard's ship, discussing a rather delicate personnel matter.

It had been decided that, as part of an increased Federation presence in Citadel space, a single _Ambassador_ class Starship, named the _Normandy_, would be sent as a sort of flagship for the efforts of the Federation there, a symbol of hope (the entire project was actually codenamed "the _Normandy_ Initiative").

The question was, who would be the crew of that ship? Anderson was earmarked for command, and was going through his options with regards to most of his crew, but the important post of Executive Officer, Anderson's right hand on the new ship, had yet to be filled.

It was with that in mind that Anderson, Udina (the ambassador of the Federation to the Citadel) and Hayes were on the _Enterprise_, endeavouring to fix this issue by speaking wit Picard, briefing him on the Initiative.

"The Federation Council has been pushing for a heavier presence in Citadel Space for some time now," Hayes explained, hands folded in front of him. "This is just the opportunity we need."

"I see," Picard said, nodding as he took in what they were telling him. "The tactical, political and social advantages to doing so would be a great asset to the Federation, I suppose."

"You suppose correctly," Udina put in.

"The question is not whether we send a ship," Anderson added, his voice sounding enthused about the possibilities he was considering, "but who the crew of that ship should be. As I've said, most of the positions are filled except some of the most important."

"And you're headhunting an XO from my crew," Picard finished, slightly irritated by this.

"You have one of the finest and most experienced crews in the fleet, Picard," Udina said, a warm smile on his face. "You've faced down some of the worst things this part of the galaxy has to offer. You've defeated the Romulans, the Borg…"

Udina trailed off at the sour look on the Captain's face. He had underestimated how much of a taboo with Picard that particular subject was.

"Speaking of, there are other concerns that warrant the sending of a ship, as well," Anderson added, his tone turning deadly serious. "There _are_ rumours of a Borg presence in the area."

Captain Picard straightened, almost unconsciously, in his chair. Even years after his assimilation, the mention of the Borg brought back so many painful memories for him that thinking about it hurt, and the idea that they were once more rearing their ugly heads… it scared him. It was one of the few things that really did.

"What kind of Borg presence?" he asked grimly.

"We don't know," Udina said, heavily. It didn't seem as though he was happy mentioning it. "It's not been confirmed that there is one."

"But several Citadel colonies have gone missing," Anderson finished.

"The same pattern as Ivor Prime and New Providence?" Picard asked. The terse silence both men replied with was more than enough to confirm Picard's worst fears.

"I don't think any of your senior staff are quite right for the XO position," Anderson put in, breaking the tension and getting back to the matter at hand. "They're all qualified," he added, as if worried he'd offend the other Captain somehow, "but they serve a valuable role here. And I need someone else, someone a little… well, more like Kirk."

Picard raised an eyebrow at this.

"How do you mean?" Udina asked. Technically he had no right to have any input on a purely Starfleet matter like crew assignments, but as the Federation Ambassador to the Citadel races, he had a right to say who should be on the political horse that was the _Normandy_. From the sound of his voice, it seemed he was unsure as to what the Captain meant by "a little more Kirk".

Clearly Anderson had different ideas than Udina, for which Picard was grateful.

"I mean, it's almost like a different galaxy out there," Anderson said. He'd been out there before, and found some of Starfleet's current protocols didn't fit. "It's almost a throwback to Kirk's era - increased lawlessness, a need for autonomy in the field. I need an officer like that."

Picard nodded thoughtfully, and smiled softly. A man with a Kirk spirit - who was also able to fight the Borg.

"I think I may know just the man," he said with a smile. "Leave the arrangements with me."

* * *

**One week later. **

Cadet Tali'Zorah nar Rayya had loved her time at Starfleet so far.

In the years since she had been accepted into Starfleet, she had become an exceptional cadet; she had eagerly learned all she could about Starfleet's engineering corp, and was considered a rising star in the field of warp mechanics and Starship design. She was expected by most to be assigned to the SCE when she graduated, especially since as a quarian she would probably be leaving the Fleet soon enough.

She was currently stood at attention once again in an Admiral's office, much like she had been years ago. But this time, that Admiral was Hayes, one of the heroes of the battle of the Typhon sector and the immediately following battle of sector 001. Although his ship had been blown asunder, Hayes had gotten most of his crew out safely. His only mistake had been to leave the famous Captain Picard out of the battle with the Borg.

Ah, the Borg. Tali had read up on them around the time of the battle, and spent about two weeks afterwards wishing that she hadn't. She had always thought the geth had been the worst machines could be, but the Borg? Machines run amok in the worst way; nanotechnology infecting their bloodstream, implants laced throughout their bodies, enslaving their minds, controlling their will… that was a horrible fate. And to think, were it not for the Admiral sitting before her and the bravery of the Captain of the _Enterprise_, she would have been part of that collective mind, alongside all the other people on Earth. No quarian would ever let that happen to them. Hopefully she would never have to encounter them herself, but that possibility always existed...

"Ah, Cadet Zorah," Hayes said with a soft smile, snapping Tali out of her thoughts. "I'm glad you're here."

"Thank you sir," she replied self-consciously. "I admit, I don't know why you've called me here."

She was quite worried actually - it couldn't have been a disciplinary meeting, as Tali didn't think she'd done anything to warrant such. Equally, it couldn't be any other kind of academic meeting because Hayes was not an academy Admiral, he worked for the fleet.

"I asked for your presence because we require your skills for a very special project," Hayes said without further preamble, cutting Tali's thought processes off. "You've gained a reputation as a formidable engineer."

"Engineering is my passion, sir," Tali said, a little over-excitedly. She cleared her throat, a little embarrassed at her own forthrightness.

"Good," Hayes said, apparently not upset. "You'll need that. We're assigning you as Chief Engineer to a ship, with the rank of Lieutenant."

Tali blinked behind her helmet.

"Sir?" she said, confused.

Hayes folded his hands on top his desk and studied them for a moment, before looking at her. "We're dispatching a ship to Citadel Space to advance the Federation's interests, to look out for possible threats. In addition to your prodigious skill in engineering, you know the region."

"Yes sir," Tali said in confirmation. "But I'm not experienced enough to be a Chief Engineer..."

"Your background and accomplishments suggest otherwise," Hayes said with a smile. "Unless you're formally refusing the offer?"

"No sir!" Tali said quickly. "I'm... I'm more than willing to accept the offer!"

"Then it's decided, _Lieutenant_," Hayes said, emphasising Tali's new (and to her mind entirely undeserved) rank. He stood up and held out a hand. "Your ship is an _Ambassador_-Class named the _Normandy_. You're to report at 0800 tomorrow to Captain Anderson, promptly. Questions will be answered by him."

"Aye sir," Tali said crisply, taking the hand and shaking it.

"I'm afraid we have to forego the usual graduation ceremonies," Hayes added on a lighter tone. Tali decided against replying that she didn't mind. "Your uniform will be delivered to your dormitory, along with your rank insignia. Dismissed."

Tali nodded, stood to attention briefly, and left. In her head, part of her felt terrified: service as Chief Engineer? She wasn't ready! And entirely skipping the rank of Ensign too!

But part of her was elated: this would be a chance to serve the fleet. More importantly, on an _Ambassador_ class ship! Maybe not the most advanced class around, but _Ambassador_ Class ships were famous in Citadel space, thanks to the _Enterprise-C_.

She headed back for her room. Clearly, she had to pack.

* * *

Captain Picard looked up from his book as Lieutenant John Shepard, tactical officer of _Enterprise E_, entered his ready room.

"Lieutenant!" he said warmly. The younger man nodded formally to his Captain, his ice-blue eyes surveying everything in the room quickly before settling on his CO. Picard had always noticed that about the tactical officer - he made it his business to study every room, every possibility, before deciding on a course of action, even if only called to a meeting. His phaser seemed to permanently rest uneasy in its holster.

"Sir," Shepard finally said. "What can I do for you?"

"You've been reassigned, Mr Shepard," Picard said, speaking firmly and quickly. Delay and small talk were both pointless at this point. "Specifically, assigned to the USS _Normandy_, as her XO."

Shepard blinked, clearly surprised by this news.

"I… don't believe I'm familiar with the _Normandy_ sir," he said finally.

"Not surprising, since she's a new commission." Picard stood up, straightening his uniform as he began explaining. "Starfleet wants a renewed presence in Citadel space, given the number of colonies out there. Captain Anderson specifically told me that he wanted someone with a pioneer spirit, someone, very specifically, like Kirk." Picard looked Shepard in the eye. "Based on that description, I decided to pick you."

Shepard blinked again.

"Not sure I understand how I can be compared to Kirk, sir," he said finally.

"I met the Admiral, briefly," Picard said, looking thoughtful. "He had a certain fire of spirit, one I believe you can replicate. In any case, _Commander_ Shepard," the captain added, emphasising the new rank with a smile, "I trust you to get the job done, and your transfer is already prepared - provided you agree to take the posting of course."

Shepard stood to attention, and nodded crisply.

"I do agree, sir," he said, clipped and efficient. Picard sighed - the young man was a good officer. It was almost a shame to lose him, but he was getting a good posting. Picard outstretched his hand.

"Congratulations Commander," he said. "The _Normandy_ is currently undergoing her flight tests as I understand it, shakedown cruises etc. Her launch ceremony is in a few days, from Utopia Planetia. The _Enterprise_ is heading to the Terran system anyway: I'm conducting Captain Anderson's final mission briefings."

"Final mission briefings, sir?" Shepard asked.

"Captain Anderson wants a little advice on certain tactical matters," Picard said, his stance shifting slightly.

"What sort of tactical matters sir?" Shepard asked. Picard adjusted his uniform, and walked over to the window.

"Well, Commander," he said, "the specifics are disturbing. The _Normandy__'s_ main mission is to up the Starfleet presence among our colonies. Unofficially, however…"

Picard sat down, and sighed, putting his face in his hands before bringing it up again.

"Unofficially, there are rumours of a renewed Borg threat in the region," he stated, bluntly, but with suppressed emotion.

"Borg?" Shepard frowned. He had been on the _Enterprise_ when the mechanical monsters had invaded her - suffice it to say, the memories of that incident were far from pleasant. While some might say the young officer was over-damaged, Picard could understand why the scars of that battle might never heal - his own certainly never would.

"The Borg haven't resurfaced in years, not since the battle of sector 001," Shepard added.

"I know," Picard said wearily, and Shepard of all people knew how affected by the attack he had been, personally seeing the Captain in battle against the things - the lust for Borg blood in his eyes, a shining fire on dark, green-tinged decks. "However, there have been several Council colonies reported missing. The profile matches the Borg's known MO, when it comes to planetary assault - damage matching that done at J25, and on New Providence and Ivor Prime."

"If it is the Borg, sir?" Shepard asked.

"The Council fleets aren't ready to engage them at any scale," Picard said decisively. "And if they tried, they'd have their own Wolf 359. Our job is to find out if there are Borg, and help the Council prepare if there is."

"Understood, sir," Shepard said. "If I may, I can brief Captain Anderson on the Borg threat as well as you can - it'll save us being delayed in our mission, and every hour is vital if the Borg threat has returned."

"With all due respect, Commander," Picard said, with a smile at using Shepard's new rank, "while I appreciate the thought - believe me, talking about the Borg holds no pleasure for me - there is still no Starfleet officer alive and unassimilated who knows more about them than I."

"I understand, sir," the now-Commander Shepard said. "I'll be prepared for transfer when we reach the _Normandy_."

"Good," Picard said, approvingly. "Dismissed, Commander."


	3. Normandy

**Chapter Two: **_**Normandy**_**.**

**USS _Normandy_ NCC 90000.**

Lieutenant Jeff Moreau - colloquially known as Joker - loved this ship with a passion.

Had you told him five days ago that he would not only be the alpha-shift helm officer on an old _Ambassador_ class Starship, but also enjoying every second of it, he'd have laughed. _Ambassador_ class vessel, sure: the things were common enough, the design was still in use, still being built regularly...

But he would never have believed the enjoying part. They were an older class: still in production, largely thanks to being easier to build than _Galaxy_ or _Sovereign_ types and the added PR bonus of _Ambassador_-class ships in Citadel space, but they were also usually hell to fly, his personal definition of "a bad job". He had half expected to be requesting a transfer within days of getting the assignment.

This particular _Ambassador-_class ship, however, handled like an absolute dream. She had been optimised in every quarter - latest LCARS panel upgrades that responded faster than a _Sovereign_ class, improved thruster efficiency that made her manoeuvre like a _Defiant_ class... and whoever the new Chief Engineer was, they were doing a hell of a job tweaking her efficiency to get her _just right_. All her shakedown runs through the solar system had been nothing short of magnificent.

"Joker," Kaidan Alenko, the Operations manager, said, tapping him on the shoulder, his eyes always permanently thoughtful in a way that made Joker almost uneasy. "We've got to get down to the shuttle-bay."

"Gotcha," Joker said. This was the one part of any assignment he hated - the ceremonies. This one was going to be especially hellish, he just figured, since it the Captain's "taking command ceremony" - the senior staff all standing to attention down in the shuttle-bay while the Captain got to read out his command orders, and shake their hands when he met them. All too formal for his liking. He stood up, but stopped when he saw Kaidan looking at him strangely.

"What?" he asked.

"Your sleeves," Kaidan replied. Jeff looked down at them. They were rolled up, which was how he usually had them. He sighed at the slight inconvenience, rolling them down again.

"Hope the new Captain doesn't mind creased sleeves," he said with a grin.

"You're hopeless," Kaidan laughed.

"Dunno why we even have to go to this stupid thing," Joker murmured as the two walked into the turbolift. The turbolift doors cut off Kaidan's reply.

* * *

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya - although in her head, she had also started thinking that "vas Normandy" might be appropriate given her new assignment, though she wasn't sure whether that was against the traditions of being on pilgrimage or not given that it wasn't a quarian ship - stood at attention alongside the rest of the crew of _Normandy_ in the shuttle-bay, awaiting the arrival of the ship's Captain by shuttle. She was dressed in her modified environmental suit - the suit in question had the basic design of a quarian environmental suit, but the head cloth was ship operations department yellow, and the shoulders were grey, to match the current duty uniform.

She considered the ceremony she was here to attend. This ceremony, she had read, was a solemn one, in which a Captain took command of the ship in front of the majority of the ship's company. As a quarian, nothing was more important to her than Captain, Ship and Crew, and a lot of that hinged on ancient naval traditions, so this ceremony was understandably important to her as well; if not on the same cultural level as the quarian fleet ceremonies, then fairly close.

The shuttlecraft _Newton_ landed in the shuttle-bay with a practiced ease and grace: she was a class-2 shuttle, sleek and shiny. Tali didn't think much of class-2's as a rule (they were notoriously... short lived in the field) but she had to admit, to make an entrance, there were few finer: Starfleet knew how to build ships that looked good.

And then, from her rear hatch, stepped Captain David Anderson.

Captain Anderson was tall, muscles not overly-developed but nonetheless toned and pronounced. For a man into his fifties, he bore it well, a grace and dignity in his gait that suggested a man supremely confident in himself. The red collar of his duty uniform and the red sleeve detail seemed to frame the man perfectly, like he was born to wear them.

Behind him stepped Commander John Shepard, the first officer. Tali was fairly unfamiliar with his service record but she could tell from watching him that he was less comfortable than Captain Anderson. The red around his uniform, by contrast to Anderson's, seemed too dark, and the third pip on his collar too shiny compared to two others, dulled with long wear. His eyes - piercing blue eyes - surveyed the room slowly, with the ease of a soldier assessing a situation. Tali felt drawn to those eyes - they were cold, yes, but there was also warmth there...

Anderson stepped down and stood in front of the crew, Shepard taking up a position behind him, and Tali shook off the strange feeling she had to watch her Captain speak. Once in place, he held up a PADD, pressed a button, and read off the device, in a voice filled with dignity and respect for the words.

"To Captain David Anderson, Stardate 57321.3, you are hereby requested and required to take command of USS _Normandy_, as of this date."

* * *

There was a moment's pause after the Captain had finished speaking, and then the entire crew present burst out into applause. Anderson smiled softly, and walked to the first row. Shepard walked behind him, looking around. He noted with especial interest that there was a quarian present, her bodysuit adapted into a Starfleet uniform, with grey quilted shoulders and everything. He felt the irrational desire to smile, and suppressed it.

The first person Anderson came to was Lieutenant Commander Pressly, the second officer and chief of security. Pressly shook the Captain's hand firmly and nodded respectfully at Shepard without saying anything. Next in the line was Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, the Operations manager, who shook the Captain's hand as well, and nodded at Shepard with a softly spoken "Commander".

When the two senior officers came to Lieutenant Jeff Moreau, he smiled at them both, held out a hand and shook Anderson's hand effusively.

"Honour to be servin' with you, sir," he said lightly. "Sirs."

Shepard smiled back, already liking the man. Next in line was Dr Karin Chakwas, who politely shook their hands, and then they came to the quarian chief engineer.

"Lieutenant Tali'Zorah nar Rayya," Anderson said with a grin. "Or is it 'vas Normandy' now?"

"To be honest sir, I haven't decided," the chief engineer replied, shaking his hand. "I just want to say, it's an honour to be working on this ship."

"The honour is ours," Captain Anderson replied. Shepard shook her hand too, and noticed that she held it a fraction of a second longer than strictly necessary. He brushed it off, moving on with Anderson to beta shift tactical officer Ensign Jenkins.

They continued shaking hands with various crew members for another ten minutes before Captain Anderson dismissed them all and the two men headed for the Captain's ready room.

* * *

The ready room was sparsely decorated, as one would expect from a room that had yet to be made full use of. Anderson immediately sat down in his chair with a practiced ease that told Shepard everything he needed to know about the man's command ability, and he indicated that the XO should sit as well.

"Before we begin our mission," he said without preamble, "there's someone I think you should meet."

The door hissed behind them, and a turian in black armour walked into the room, taking a seat near Shepard.

"This is Nihlus Kryik," Anderson said by way of introduction. "He's a Council Spectre on assignment here."

"It's an honour to work with you, Commander," Kryik said, holding out a hand.

"And you, sir," Shepard replied, taking the proffered hand. "But I don't understand why a Council Spec-Ops soldier is here."

"There's a top-secret mission in progress," Nihlus said, "and Captain Anderson has kindly agreed to volunteer your ship's assistance as a… gesture of goodwill between our governments."

"What sort of mission, sir?" Shepard asked, turning to Anderson.

"A Prothean Beacon has been found on one of our outer reach colonies, Eden Prime," Anderson said. Shepard leaned forward - Prothean tech was rare at best, impossible to find at worse. The Citadel races all relied on the Prothean technology in the Mass Relays for their travel, and even Starfleet had found it useful to adapt Mass Relay drives into their warp drive systems in order to traverse the galaxy at considerably faster speeds than were previously possible. "I'm sure you realise how important this is."

"Perfectly sir," Shepard said with a nod. From both a political standpoint with relations with the Council, an an archeological one, this could be incredibly helpful And beneficial to the Federation.

"Good," Anderson said with a smile. "Get Lieutenant Moreau to set course for Eden Prime, via Sol relay and then at maximum warp."

"Aye sir," Shepard said, standing and heading out. For a moment, Nihlus and Anderson were silent.

"It really is a shame that he can't be a Spectre," the Turian said after a moment. "I've read his file - his work against the Borg on the _Enterprise_ is especially impressive."

"It's Starfleet's policy," Anderson replied heavily. "And I wouldn't bring up the Borg if I were you. As a rule, they aren't a popular subject with anyone, least of all those who've faced them."

Nihlus nodded, and the two returned to their silence.

* * *

Shepard walked onto the circular bridge of the USS _Normandy_ with brisk purpose in his stride. Like always, he took the entire room in quickly with his eyes, unconsciously assessing threat levels, before settling down into the captain's seat.

"Mr Moreau," he said to Joker, who turned to look at him. "Set a course for Eden Prime - via Sol relay, then switch to maximum warp."

"Aye sir," Joker replied, turning back to his console. After a moment, he smiled. "Course laid in. We'll be at Eden Prime in five hours."

"Good," the voice of Captain Anderson resonated across the bridge. Commander Shepard stood up as he walked out of the ready room, Nihlus immediately behind him. "Mr Alenko, I want you to begin thorough scans of the relay as we pass." This was Starfleet policy - every time a relay was used, new data could be gathered. New data was always valuable to Starfleet.

"Aye sir," the Lieutenant said from the seat next to Joker, pressing a few commands into his console.

"Sir, if there's nothing else, I'm going to turn in until Beta shift," Shepard said to Anderson. Anderson nodded, and Shepard left the bridge quickly. It had been a long day, and it wasn't getting any shorter. Besides, he was probably going to be on the ground team at Eden Prime, and that necessitated readiness.

* * *

_The security team walked down the _Enterprise_ corridor, jumping at shadows and twitching slightly. Ensign Shepard was perhaps the least jumpy of all of them but even he was gripping the compression rifle in his hand tighter than normally. Still, he mused, no one could blame them for being a little twitchy - after all, this was no ordinary enemy they were being dispatched to fight._

_"Shepard, take point," Lieutenant Simm said, and Shepard did so, rifle raised slightly higher. It was a surreal experience, walking down these corridors. After all, not ten hours ago, he had been down here running some simulations in readiness for the battle with the Borg. And now, here he was, about to engage in the real thing._

_"Keep it tight," Simm said to the team. "We're all nervous but getting twitchy ain't gonna make it better."_

_Shepard was grateful for the older man's presence. He was perhaps more nervous than he had ever been in his life, and with good reason. If the Borg captured him, after all, they wouldn't just kill him, oh no. They'd turn him into something less than human..._

_As if to echo his thoughts, a Borg drone walked across his field of vision - the tattered remains of a Starfleet uniform still visible under implants galore. Shepard cursed - he was going to make these mechanical monsters pay for this desecration. He embraced the sudden influx of anger - it was infinitely preferable to the terror._

_Had it been terror? Yes, it probably had._

_"Keep it together," Simm said to the team. "Remember, we're only here to cut off one damn power relay, not to play hero."_

_"Yes sir," came the murmurs of the security force, Shepard's voice included. The mission came before revenge._

_The five man team reached the power relay a few moments later, turning a corner into a small alcove. It wasn't in an overly crowded area but there was a corridors that seemed to lead to a room filled with Borg. Simm knelt down by the conduit while Shepard and the other three members of the team - Vasquez, Vega and Stein - covered him._

_"Remember," Shepard reminded them. "The Borg don't attack until they see you as a threat. So act natural."_

_"All due respect, sir, but 'acting natural' would be shooting them all while yelling," Vega replied, a slight nervous smirk on his face as he watched the drones in the far room carefully._

_"You know what I meant, Vega," Shepard sighed. Sometimes defusing tension with humour worked, but right now,Shepard preferred the tension._

_"Got it," Simm reported. "Uncoupling power relay now."_

_A drone looked over at them from the far room. Shepard tensed, but it looked away again. He sighed with relief._

_A few more tense minutes passed, but Simm finally rented that he had completed his act of sabotage. The team, now very relieved, slowly started moving around the corner..._

_Where Vasquez ran right into a Borg drone._

_The Borg, for what it was worth, seemed unfazed for having a burly security man run into it. Vasquez however, yelped loudly and before anyone could stop him, he swung his phaser rifle to bear and shot the Borg at point blank range. It sparked in the centre, stumbled backwards, and collapsed to the deck._

_Unfortunately, the other Borg in the other room noticed their comrade's demise, and faster than you might expect from creatures that couldn't really run, they moved towards the security team. Not commenting on Vasquez's panicked reaction, Simm swung his own rifle up._

_"Weapons free, take them down!" he yelled. Vega, Vasquez, lead us out, Shepard, Stein, cover the retreat with me!"_

_Vega and Vasquez moved down the corridor, keeping an eye out for any Borg drones in their path, shooting them down as they appeared. Stein and Shepard joined Simm in firing down the hall t the advancing line of Borg. Twice, the mechanical beings adapted to the phaser modulations. Twice, the security teams remodulated their weapons._

_"Path should be clear from here!" Vega called, he and Vasquez jogging ahead to the next sealed access point past a side corridor, opening it quickly. By this point, four Borg drones remained. Stein fell back, Shepard and Simm holding back to cover him. The drones had adapted to their latest modulation, and the two quickly scrambled to remodulate._

_"Go Shepard!" Simm snapped. "That's an order!"_

_"Not leaving you, sir!" Shepard replied, taking down another drone with his rifle._

_"Go, dammit!" Simm yelled. He fired - but they'd already adapted to the latest modulation. Growling, Simm pushed Shepard back and remodulated again, taking down the next drone, and the next. Now only one was left, but it too had adapted._

_Shepard followed the order, and got to the sealed point, but he couldn't just leave Simm. His team leader didn't bother remodel acting now, instead taking the butt end of his rifle and hitting the drone with it, once, then again, and a third time. The impacts did nothing but make the creature stumble._

_And then, from the side corridor, two more drones appeared, making a beeline for Simm._

_"Lieutenant!" Shepard called out. Simm turned, but too late - the first drone caught him by the back of the neck, yanking him backwards slightly. He had time to yell out before the second injected him in the throat._

_There was a horrible moment where Simm's eyes gaped open, gazing directly at Shepard in abject terror as black, bloated veins started spreading across his skin like blotting ink, and then Shepard, sick to his stomach, sealed the access point, turning to Vega, Vasquez and Stein._

_The corridor was dark, and he squinted to catch an outline of the three security officers. Suddenly, a piercing red beam like a laser pointer shot through the air, and then a second, and a third. Shepard felt a sharp pain in the side of his neck, and a heaviness run through his limbs..._

_"_**_WE ARE THE BORG. YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED. YOUR BIOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL DISTINCTIVENESS WILL BE ADDED TO OUR OWN. YOUR CULTURE WILL ADAPT TO SERVICE OURS. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE._**_"_

* * *

Shepard shot awake in his bed, sitting up, body slick with sweat, gasping for breath.

"Shit," he murmured, covering us face with his hands and breathing slowly, trying to regain a sense of control in this situation. "Shit..."

It had been years since the Borg attack and the invasion of the USS _Enterprise_, but still he could not help but sometimes relive in his nightmares the horror of seeing fellow crewmen assimilated, turned into monsters. Simm's death was something he laid squarely at his own feet for not pulling him out sooner, and it was in his former superior's name that he had sworn to keep fighting the creatures until they were all destroyed and freed from their torment.

"_Anderson__ to Shepard,_" a voice broke in, tinny from his communicator.

"Shepard here," the Commander replied, trying to keep his voice from breaking.

"_We're coming up on Eden Prime now_," Anderson said, his tone heavy. "_You might want to see this._"

"On my way," Shepard said, sanding up. He wondered what precisely had gone wrong with the mission for Anderson to sound like that...


	4. The Nightmare Returns

**Chapter Three: The Nightmare Returns.**

**USS ****_Normandy_****, in orbit of Eden Prime.**

Shepard could have cursed until the air in the room turned blue at the sight that greeted him from the viewscreen, and in fact was very close to doing precisely that. Only his self-control, born of years of Starfleet discipline, kept him in line. At the helm station, Jeff Moreau had no such problem letting his thoughts loose.

"Holy shit..."

Eden Prime, formerly a beautiful green planet, an exemplar of Federation colonies, was a smouldering wreck, burnt and scoured, with visible gaping holes where once thriving settlements had been. The wreckage of the one starship charged with its safety, the USS _Garrett_, floated in space above the planet, a few hull breaches dotted along her hull. The little _Oberth_ class ship had never stood a chance against the force that had swept through this system, devouring everything in its wake.

It was more than clear to anyone with Shepard's experience what had happened here. From behind them, at the tactical station, Richard Jenkins was sobbing: his entire family had been on Eden Prime, and now were almost certainly taken.

"Mr Alenko, run scans and confirm what we're looking at," Captain Anderson said, his tone grim, but surprisingly measured given what he was seeing. That's why he is the CO, Shepard thought to himself: the Captain couldn't allow personal feelings to influence his judgement, his bearing, his thought processes or decisions. Next to the Captain, Nihlus stood, arms folded, watching the scene with cold eyes, grim and calculating. Shepard didn't know whether he had quite realised what he was looking at, but Alenko soon spelled it out for him and all of them.

"There's no doubt sir," the Ops officer said softly, looking determinedly at his console as if trying to avoid the wreck on his screen. "From weapons discharge, and the pattern of the... of the excavations on Eden Prime, I can only conclude that the Borg are responsible."

"Red alert," Shepard said at once: technically overstepping his bounds, but the Captain didn't contradict him. "Tactical and Ops, begin long range scans for Borg vessels."

While Alenko and Jenkins ran their scans, the Spectre spoke quietly with the Captain.

"Is there any hope for recovery of the colonists?" Nihlus asked, surprisingly softly.

"Little," Anderson admitted quietly. "Unless the ship that took them is still close by."

"Sir," Alenko said, his voice suddenly animated, "I'm picking up Borg signatures still on the planet."

Shepard turned to him and almost ran to his console, leaning over his shoulder.

"Where?" he asked urgently.

"Near a small farming complex on the lower hemisphere," Alenko said quickly. "There might be something there, sir, something they had to remain for!"

"It is a good opportunity," Nihlus said softly, but nonetheless catching the attention of everyone on the bridge. "To discover more about their plans if nothing else."

"Agreed," Anderson said after a moment. "Shepard, Alenko, Jenkins. You're on the mission team, with Nihlus. Gear up and report to transporter room three."

The three officers reacted efficiently, immediately leaving their posts and heading for the turbolift. Alenko was the only one with any semblance of calm, however: both Jenkins and Shepard looked like men seeking cold vengeance. Alongside them walked Nihlus, slightly slower, with the energy of one who goes into a battle he knows, somewhere in his heart, that he will not walk away from.

* * *

When Nihlus met the three men a few moments later in the transporter room, he was surprised at the change in them. Where once the three were in the thin cloth uniforms of Starfleet's ship crews, they were now in slightly thicker armoured suits with padding at the shoulders and armour plating of a kind Nihlus was unfamiliar with. All three were holding Federation issue Compression rifles in their hands, and all three had tactical visors on and active.

It was strange, seeing the contradiction between the Federation's peacetime attire and bearing and her "war face", for want of a better term. That a state that valued peace so much was nonetheless so capable of armed conflict was curious.

"Interesting uniform variant," he commented.

"Hazard Suit," Shepard explained to him, pointing at various features on the suit. "Ablative armour patches to absorb energy blasts, belt mounted transporter buffer with multiple equipment choices dependant on situation and target, inbuilt dermal regenerators and anabolic protoplasmers to heal you while you fight. It was designed by the crew of the starship _Voyager_ - we got it when they came back through the Mass Relays from the Delta Quadrant."

"Impressive," Nihlus said with a nod. "Clearly you take combat seriously."

"Ready when you are," Shepard said to Nihlus, not answering his comment. The Spectre nodded, and Shepard turned to the transporter operator.

"Energise."

* * *

They had beamed into hell.

The digging the Borg had done had obviously thrown large quantities of dust into the air, transforming it into what could only be called a hellish brown smog. Using his Tactical Eye Display, Shepard scanned the perimeter, looking for any targets or allies. Although he couldn't identify anything of that sort, his TED did note some buildings to their immediate north, over a hill.

"Team, buildings to north, move out!" he ordered sharply, gesturing with his hand. As one, Jenkins and Alenko followed him, Nihlus following a short way behind them.

In the distance the great gashes in the ground that the Borg had made were visible. Where once there had been thriving cities filled with colonists, there were now just canyons and craters scored out of the earth, barren reminders of the power of the Borg. Nihlus seemed transfixed by the site - he had heard of such destruction, but seeing and hearing were entirely different experiences...

The buildings were a series of small prefabs, with an old-fashioned tarmac road leading to a port. The buildings turned out to be mostly deserted, save for corpses - three Borg, and one colonist. That at least was evidence of a Borg ground landing. For what reason they had landed, Shepard couldn't tell, but he was willing to bet it was something to do with the beacon.

Shepard stood outside the lead building, wondering what waited next for them.

"Shepard, over here!" Nihlus called. The Commander ran over to the Spectre, who was standing outside a hut with two humans, as well as Jenkins and Alenko.

"We've scanned them sir," Jenkins reported as the Commander approached. "No sign of assimilation or nanoprobe infection."

"Good," Shepard said brusquely. "I'm Commander John Shepard, USS _Normandy_."

"Dr Warren," one of the survivors, a forty year old woman with short hair wearing a lab coat, said to him slowly. Se indicated her companion."This is Manuel, my assistant."

"Can either of you tell us what happened here?" Shepard asked.

Warren didn't answer his question immediately. Her assistant didn't seem to be entirely cognisant of the situation, looking around and murmuring to himself; Shepard only caught vague words like "end" and "destruction". The Doctor meanwhile seemed slightly shell shocked by the entire experience, and Shepard couldn't blame her for that, given the horror of the experience. Unfortunately, he didn't have time for her to get over her psychological traumas to tell him what he needed to know.

"Dr Warren?" he said, in a slightly more insistent tone.

"Borg," she finally managed to choke out. "It was the Borg."

"We know," Kaidan said heavily.

"They dug the cities out with great cutting beams," Warren continued, oblivious to the Lieutenant's remark. "Entire cities, just gone. We were only saved because we were at a small complex, but they beamed here, dozens of them. Some of the Starfleet security officers were here, and managed to hold them off while Manuel and I hid, but they weren't looking for people."

"They were here for the beacon?" Shepard asked. Warren nodded, confirming his worst fears.

"I think so," Warren said with a nod. "It was discovered here, and we never got to move it to the cities."

"Some good luck then," Kaidan said under his breath.

"Where was it?" Shepard asked.

"Along the road," Warren said, pointing towards the building in the distance, "in the spaceport."

"Thank you, Doctor," Shepard said, before summoning Jenkins, Kaidan and Nihlus closer with a hand gesture. "Opinions?"

"Best bet is to sneak into the port and secure the beacon," Kaidan said softly. "If there are Borg, then we can't hope to engage them with these weapons for over-long." He gestured with his compression rifle to add emphasise his point.

"Your weapons don't work on the Borg?" Nihlus asked, clearly not impressed.

"Nothing does for long," Kaidan said grimly. "The Borg adapt to any and all frequencies of energy weapon you use, and their personal shields are damn near impossible to overload with any kind of concentrated fire - if they give you long enough to try."

Nihlus gestured with his shotgun. "What about solid projectiles?"

Shepard stared at Nihlus' weapon for a moment, then smiled, remembering something that he had put into the weapons load outs just n case this sort of thing should happen.

"Team, switch to TR-116's," he ordered. Jenkins and Kaidan looked to each other, slightly confused, then both of them pressed a button on their Hazard Suit belt packs: in an instant, their compression rifles dematerialised. A moment later, new, longer and bulkier rifles materialised in their place, and the two grabbed them as they appeared. Shepard was already going through the same procedure.

"The TR-116," Jenkins said, with an appreciative whistle, then explained to the confused Nihlus, "Starfleet issue projectile weapon."

The Spectre nodded.

"I wasn't aware Starfleet possessed projectile weapons still," he noted. "My understanding was that you didn't use them."

"Normally don't," Shepard said, almost breezily. "These are experimental. Top of the range."

"Didn't know our buffers were equipped with these, sir," Jenkins said, still looking his rifle up and down.

"I saw to everything the minute I heard Borg were even part of the equation," Shepard explained with a grim smile. "Let's see the bastards adapt to this!"

"These should even the odds," Kaidan said with a smile. "A frontal assault might be more feasible now."

"Let's do it," Shepard said with a nod, beginning a steady jog towards the spaceport. The rest of his squad followed him.

* * *

The spaceport entrance was unguarded, but Shepard wasn't willing to bet that the Borg were gone yet. There were two paths - the high path took the form of a ramp leading to a balcony level that followed the low path. The low path led through the main part of the civilian spaceport, where waiting chairs, little shops and a dozen other things lay scattered in the frenzy of flight and battle.

"Ok," Shepard said, looking around. "Alenko and I will take the low path, clear out any Borg and save the civilian population. Nihlus, you and Jenkins will take the upper path, see if you can give us any fire support."

"_Respectfully_, Commander, I work better alone," Nihlus said.

"And _respectfully_, Nihlus, this is a Starfleet mission, and a Federation colony," Shepard replied, a little too sharply. "You'll take orders or you'll be beamed back to _Normandy_."

Nihlus hesitated for a moment.

"Aye sir," he said, slightly ironically.

Shepard nodded, accepting this, and without another word led Alenko down the low path, dodging chairs. Jenkins and Nihlus waited a moment, then headed up the ramp to the balcony level.

* * *

The lower level was eerily empty. There was no sign that there had ever been Borg here, save for the lack of people. Here and there a Borg corpse or the body of a colonist would show up, but overall, there was nothing. It was like no one had ever been here.

"Too quiet sir," Kaidan said as they advanced. "I'm just betting there'll be trouble."

"Not an optimist, Alenko?" Shepard asked.

"I'm a realist, sir," the Lieutenant replied.

Nonetheless, it seemed for a long time as though Kaidan's warnings were unfounded, as the two continued to advance unposed by anyone. Shepard was almost beginning to feel as though the combat threat was over...

Until five Borg walked out of a side room.

Quickly, Shepard motioned to Alenko to take cover, and the two of them crouched behind a chair.

Four of the drones were full Borg, in armour and everything. The fifth was a recent assimilation - a Starfleet officer, judging from the uniform, with veins still snaking from the nanoprobes, and her skin still partially it's normal tone. She was a woman, and judging from the twitching on her face, she was still fighting the collective even as she walked with her captors in the same eerily identical gait.

"Orders, sir?" Kaidan asked. It was a fair question, given the woman, Normally, Shepard would never countenance rescuing a Borg Drone, but he hadn't encountered so recent an assimilation before.

"Target the full drones first," he said, "then we'll stun the woman and beam her back to Normandy."

"Roger," Kaidan said. Shepard held up a hand with three fingers, then counted down. Two. One.

They moved.

Shepard stepped out, aiming and firing with the TR-116, taking out the first Borg in a second. The second went down to Kaidan's first shot. The remaining three - including the woman - turned to face them, but Kaidan and Shepard had already aimed and both the full drones went down. The woman advanced, but Shepard was already bringing his hand phaser out of its buffer, and he hit her with the heaviest stun setting he could. She went down like a brick.

Kaidan and Shepard approached her, kneeling by her.

"She's alive," Kaidan said, scanning her with his tricorder. "And the nanoprobes are fifty three percent through her system."

"Shepard to _Normandy_, I am beaming a survivor directly to sickbay," Shepard said, tapping his combadge. "She's been nanoprobe infected - have security standing by."

A moment passed before he got a reply.

"_Chakwas to Shepard. Security is standing by. We're ready to receive the patient_."

Shepard nodded reflexively, and double tapped the woman's combadge. She glowed blue and dematerialised.

"Well, at least we know we saved a few people," Kaidan said heavily.

"Not enough, Lieutenant," Shepard replied grimly. "Come on - that beacon is still dead ahead."

* * *

Nihlus and Jenkins were moving faster than Shepard and Kaidan. There had been no sign of any Borg activity at all, and Nihlus was getting increasingly uneasy.

"Up ahead!" Jenkins hissed, crouching and aiming with his rifle. "Looks like a Borg drone!"

Nihlus came up behind him. Dead ahead was the beacon - it had to be: it was glowing with an eerie green light that seemed to pulsate as though it were alive. A turian was floating near it, and then suddenly he dropped to the floor, making a loud clunk. He stared at the beacon for a moment, and then turned to walk away. His skin had a deathly grey pallor, too grey for even the palest of turians. He was clad in black armour that clung to his form, and one eye was covered by an ugly black implant. He was definitely Borg...

And _Nihlus recognised him_.

"Saren!" he called, stepping forward. Surely not him, surely not after all this time. Of every turian Nihlus knew, surely the iron will of Saren Arterius could resist these Borg.

The turian stopped and turned to face them. It was him! Nihlus recognised him.

"Don't!" Jenkins yelled, reaching out for him, but it was too late. In a flash, the turian pointed his arm at them - and two bolts of green light shot out from a disruptor in that arm, the first catching Jenkins in the chest. The young Ensign flew backwards, dead before he hit the ground. The second bolt hit Nihlus in the shoulder, splashing his upper body, sending him spinning around and hitting the floor with a crunch. He blinked, life already slipping away from his grasp, but he brought his head up just enough to look at his killer, who had already turned away, no longer concerned with a terminated target. The murderer pressed a control on his body armour and vanished in a blur of green light.

Then, Nihlus knew nothing more.

* * *

Three minutes later, weapons aimed in front of them, ready to support their fellows in whatever fight they were involved in, Shepard and Kaidan reached the place where Jenkins and Nihlus lay, their unseeing eyes staring at a place neither Starfleet officer could see.

Shepard bowed his head, cursing his bad fortune at once again being too late, and losing a valued officer, as well as the death of the Spectre. Kaidan took out his tricorder and scanned them both.

"They've been shot," he said, sounding surprised. "I didn't know the Borg could shoot."

"They clearly adapted," Shepard said bitterly.

Alenko scanned the two for another moment, before closing his tricorder, head shaking sadly.

"Jenkins took a disruptor hit that scrambled his organs," he said heavily after a moment. "Ablative armour couldn't block it. Nihlus was hit less bad but without ablative armour the disruptor hit was still fatal."

"Understood," Shepard said grimly. "Beam them back to Normandy."

While Kaidan did that, Shepard approached the beacon, taking out his own tricorder and scanning it for any signs of damage. He found none, but he couldn't help but feel that there was something off about the whole thing...

He blinked. There was a buzzing sound in the air, he was sure of it. He looked around, but he couldn't tell where it was coming from. He looked up, staring at the beacon, and suddenly...

_Darkness... Invasion... Destruction... War... Extinction... Threat... Reapers... Reapers... REAPERS..._

And then there was only darkness.


	5. To The Citadel

**Chapter Four: To The Citadel.**

**USS ****_Normandy_****, en route to the Citadel.**

Shepard was dreaming.

At first, he thought it was the same dream that had haunted him every night for years, that of the Borg invasion of the _Enterprise_, the anguish of having to fight and kill friends. But after a long moment, he realised that actually, it was something else. The synthetic life forms in this dream weren't taking people, they were just killing them, piling the bodies high and slaughtering everything in sight. Shepard saw entire cities burned, entire worlds razed to the ground by... whatever there were. He found himself wanting to know precisely what he was witnessing, but at the same time he found that he didn't want to know.

"_Commander_?"

He tried to breath, but he felt as though he couldn't, as though what he was seeing was suffocating him, drowning him in despair and terrible darkness...

"Commander?!"

His eyes popped open, gazing into the ceiling - a standard Starfleet grey. Usually he found the colour dull, but right now he found it oddly comforting. It was something concrete, something real he could focus on.

"I'm on _Normandy_," he said softly, almost as if to confirm that it was really so.

"Yes," the voice of Karin Chakwas said in confirmation. Shepard turned his head to look at her. She was scanning him with her medical tricorder, as though running some final checks.

"What happened?" he asked after a moment.

"Seem kind of reaction from the Prothean beacon," a different, huskier voice spoke. Shepard struggled to sit up, and saw Lieutenant Alenko standing there. He looked tired, but given everything that had happened on Eden Prime, Shepard supposed that was understandable.

"It seems to have burned something - some kind of telepathic message - into your head, then it exploded," the Lieutenant added grimly. "We haven't been able to work through the details."

"Explains the bad dreams," Shepard said heavily, rubbing his head with his hand. He had never been more tired in his life. "What happened to our nearly-Borg guest?" he asked, remembering the assimilated Starfleet Officer.

Kaidan pointed over to a bio-bed, where the woman he and the Commander had saved sat, looking considerably better than the last time Shepard had seen her. Her skin had returned to a more natural tan colour, and her hair was considerably more alive than it had been. She was talking with the quarian chief engineer, who was apparently running some final checks of her own. It made sense that the chief engineer would be dealing with what was largely a tech problem, but Shepard found himself impressed anyway. Dealing with Borg technology was notoriously difficult even when it was installed on ships, let alone the people version.

"Her name is Ashley Williams. She holds the rank of Ensign in Starfleet," Kaidan told the Commander. "Lieutenant Zorah has been working with her to remove the Borg tech from her system. Fortunately," he added with a satisfied smile, "we don't think there's any permanent damage."

Zorah finished her conversation with Williams, and walked over to the bio-bed, where she stood to attention in front of the Commander.

"Sir," she said formally. "Would you like my report?"

"Please," Shepard said with a tired smile. It wasn't strictly his area but he'd take it.

"We were successfully able to remove ninety percent of the Borg nanoprobes infesting her system and nullify what little was left," Zorah reported, her voice clinical and to the point. "Hopefully they'll die off in the next few days. Otherwise, she should make a co,plate recovery."

"What did you do with the Borg tech?" Shepard asked, curious about this element especially. He had wondered what had been done with the Borg tech recovered from _Enterprise_ after the Borg had been defeated, and this was something similar.

"As per usual standards of safety when dealing with Borg tech, we took thorough scans then vaporised it," Zorah reported. There was an edge of distaste in her voice - whether from dealing with the Borg tech or destroying it, Shepard couldn't tell, but he suspected the former. Nobody liked working its Borg tech.

"Good work Lieutenant," he said with a smile. "Carry on."

"Aye sir," she replied, after a moment's hesitation. She nodded, stood to attention for another moment, and then she walked off.

"Is it just me, or is that one uncomfortable with any praise you give her?" Kaidan asked softly, watching her leave the sickbay.

"Possibly," Shepard replied, shifting in his seat. "Not my job to worry about it yet. Doc, am I free to go?"

"You're physically fine, Commander," Chakwas replied in a distracted manner, still double checking her scans, "but I'd prefer to keep you in for..."

She trailed off at the sound of the door, standing to attention, and Shepard turned to see Captain Anderson walk in, his face grim and serious.

"Commander," he said without small talk. "I need a word in private."

Chakwas and Alenko immediately took the hint and walked off, going over to Ensign Williams instead, who looked pretty miserable, all things considered. Shepard supposed that being nearly turned into one of the things that killed your entire ship and assimilated the planet you were meant to be guarding would do that to a person.

"Sir," Shepard said once they were out of earshot, shaking the concern off. "What is it?"

"I forwarded the mission reports to Starfleet Command," Anderson said without preamble. "They're concerned about everything that's happened here, especially the Borg presence. Starfleet was barely able to hold off one ship - if more than that invade, we aren't certain we can hold them. As for Citadel forces, they're hopelessly unprepared for the threat the Borg pose."

"It's definitely worrying sir," Shepard agreed. In the back of his own head he laughed at what felt like the most comedic understatement in the world.

"Dr Chakwas mentioned that there were some unusual brain patterns going on in your head," Anderson said. "I don't know what you saw when that beacon hit you, but if there's even the least chance anything there could help us..."

Shepard closed his eyes, trying to think of what happened. It was difficult - foggy - but he had some ideas.

"I couldn't tell you exactly, sir," he finally said after a moment of hard concentration. "I saw images of death and destruction, but nothing clear."

Anderson nodded, moderately disappointed that he had nothing more tangible to go on but other than that, just glad he still had a First Officer.

"Get some rest Commander," Anderson ordered. "Report to the bridge in four hours, we should be at the Citadel by then."

"Aye sir," Shepard said, standing up and leaving sickbay perhaps a little too eagerly for one who had just nearly died. He was glad to finally be getting some rest - he was frankly sick of dealing with Borg, and just needed to sleep and forget that any of this crap existed...

* * *

His quarters were more inviting than he could possibly have imagined: as sparse as everywhere else on this ship but more comfortable than the finest luxuries to him right now.

"Thank God for Starfleet upholstery!" he yelled the second his door closed, and he fell onto his bed with a smile, closing his eyes contentedly. It was comfortable as the softest silk to his tired body, and he wanted nothing more than to lie there forever...

_Destruction... Death..._

His eyes snapped open, and he cursed inwardly. He was still getting after effects from whatever the vision that had been burned into his brain was. If he concentrated, he could maybe try to focus on what he was seeing, but none of it was clear even when he did that. It was incredibly frustrating: he felt like Tantalus, always trying to grab a dangling fruit that was forever out of reach. Except that this fruit might hold the key to stopping a Borg invasion.

The chime of his door went off, and he sighed, shaking the thoughts off.

"Come in," he called, standing up and walking over to his door.

The door opened quietly. The woman they had saved - Ensign Williams - was standing in his doorway, in full security uniform, looking suitably pensive. She stepped inside, limping slightly as though unused to walking without a thousand minds telling her how to do it, but otherwise as well as one might have expected.

"Commander," she said stiffly, standing to attention as though she was at a formal meeting. "Ensign Ashley Williams, USS _Garrett_... formerly. I've spoken to the Captain, and he asked me to speak to you."

"What about, Ensign?" Shepard asked.

"Being assigned as _Normandy's_ new beta-shift tactical officer," she said. She looked more than a little uncomfortable with the idea.

"The Captain's offered you that?" Shepard asked. Seemed like a decent choice to him.

"He says that the position needs filling, and that since I have no ship to return to, I might as well take the position," Williams said stiffly. The frown on her face showed that she was less than enthusiastic about the entire thing.

"Normally, his would be the final say in assignment matters," Shepard said with some confusion. "I certainly have no objection to it, if that's why you're here."

"But I do sir," Williams said sharply. Shepard nodded with dawning comprehension as she continued. "I allowed myself to be captured by the Borg. If you hadn't have come along, I'd be one of them right now."

"Yes you would," Shepard agreed, folding his arms as he scrutinised the officer before him carefully. "But I highly doubt you 'allowed' yourself to be captured by the Borg, and unless I'm very much mistaken, you held them off as long as you could."

"Nevertheless, sir, I don't feel as though I've earned the right to work on a Starship," Williams said, her face filled with a suppressed but nonetheless unmistakeable self-loathing. "They knew everything I did the minute they took me. It only took them a couple of seconds to have me dancing like a puppet on their strings. I should have been stronger."

Shepard sighed, trying to think of the best way to handle this situation. Guilt at being assimilated was definitely something he had heard of before, even this irrational guilt at having been Borg for a grand total of a few minutes tops.

"Do you think Captain Jean-Luc Picard has the right to serve as captain of the USS _Enterprise_?" he asked finally, with a slight smile.

"Of course sir," Williams replied immediately, seemingly shocked at the idea that he might not be.

"But he was captured by the Borg," Shepard pointed out. "And assimilated fully. He led them at Wolf 359. One might argue that he "

"That was against his will, sir," Williams countered. "And even if I wanted to hold that against him, and I don't, he redeemed himself by serving the Federation with distinction both before and afterwards..."

She trailed off, listening to her own words, and she blinked, as if realising what she had said also applied to her.

"Yes, Williams, he did," Shepard nodded, now smiling even wider. "You're going to do the same. Jenkins' death has left a hole in this ship's security force, and I think your experience fighting the Borg will prove invaluable. After all, they had only just captured you - you must have put up one hell of a fight."

"Aye sir," Williams said, if possible standing even straighter to attention. "I won't let you down."

"Glad to hear it. Dismissed," Shepard said, and Williams turned on her heel and walked out, a new sense of purpose in her stride.

Shepard sighed: he wasn't sure whether he enjoyed the personnel side of being a First Officer, but he supposed he would have to deal with it. After all, the Captain might well decide that sending him problem cases was a good idea, as though he would be able to deal with them. Not that he had any doubts about said abilities, but - well. At least he wasn't the Captain.

Sighing, Shepard returned to his bed. He had a couple of hours to kill with sleep yet.

* * *

Tali had been dreading this possibility for years. In truth, she had hoped it would never happen, that she would be lucky enough to never encounter them. No such luck though.

The Borg.

Nothing she had read would ever have been able to prepare her for the sheer scale of the devastation the Borg had unleashed. The horror of seeing an entire planet all but scoured of life - save for maybe a hundred "lucky" souls who now had to live with the knowledge that their entire colony had been either killed or taken and transformed into monsters. Men, women, children... now, they were all transformed into mindless automatons, monsters, servants of the Hive.

She sighed softly. She was on her way to the bridge to give her latest Engineering report to Captain Anderson. She didn't like leaving Engineering too often - it was her domain, after all - but this report needed to be given in person.

As she entered the turbolift, she saw Commander Shepard walking up to it as well.

"Lieutenant," he said with a nod. He looked exhausted, which she supposed was due to the strenuous nature of the away mission he had just been on.

"Commander," she said nodding back at him. "Bridge," she added, and the turbolift began its journey.

"How are you finding the _Normandy_?" the Commander asked her out of the blue, not looking at her. Tali shifted her weight slightly from me foot to the other, trying to figure out ow to respond - small talk had never really been her forte, especially small talk with an (admittedly very handsome) superior officer.

"Never worked on a ship like her," she said finally, not turning to him either, and trying her best to sound casual. "She's not quite as advanced as a _Sovereign_ or _Intrepid_ class starship, but what she lacks in advanced systems she makes up for in elegance and simplicity in design. I can see why the class is still in service."

"You sound like you really know starships," Shepard commented, glancing over at her. He sounded impressed, which just made Tali blush. She was suddenly glad of the helmet she wore.

"It's practically my lifeblood," she admitted, glancing back at him.

"That knowledge will be useful," the Commander said. He turned his head back to facing the turboliftdoor, his expression taking on a haunted aspect. "We'll need the _Normandy_ to give us everything she has and more to get this job done."

Tali kept looking at the commander for a moment before she replied, in what she hoped was an earnest and sincere voice. "She'll give you everything she has, sir. I'll guarantee it."

Shepard glanced back at her, a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. "I'm glad to hear it."

The turbolift reached its destination a moment later, and the two stepped out onto the bridge. Captain Anderson was staring the viewscreen, arms crossed.

"Commander, Lieutenant," he said, not turning to look at them. "We're just coming up on the Citadel now."

"Good to know," Shepard said, leaning against a railing. Tali stood next to him, watching the site on the viewscreen in awe.

The _Normandy_ was heading for what was possibly the largest space station in existence: fur giant arms stretched out from its base, each covered in structures almost like cities - in fact, exactly like cities. A series of Citadel ships hovered around it, permanently guarding the station against any and all threats it might face.

"Captain, I've secured a holding position," Joker reported, breaking the awed mood slightly. Starfleet ships tended to be incompatible with the docks, and in any case most Starfleet crew preferred to transport.

"Good work, Joker," Anderson said with a smile. "Shepard, with me. Mr Pressly, you have the bridge: I want this to be a brief period of shore leave for the crew. See to it."

"Aye sir," the older officer said softly, as the Captain and XO walked off the bridge and the turbolift doors shut behind him.


	6. Council Politicking, Interrupted

**Chapter Five: Council Politicking, Interrupted.**

The presidium was beautiful, Shepard noted when they materialised at the designated transport point a few minutes later. The architecture was a uniform, slightly bland silver-grey, but there was a kind of artificial sky above them that made the entire place feel like a sunny day, even though it was still just a space station. A very advanced space station, but a space station nonetheless.

Following Anderson, Shepard could only smile at the place: it was by far the nicest space station he had ever seen, and he'd seen plenty - his first assignment had been on Earth Spacedock, he'd had a stint on DS9 before the launch of the Double E, and he had spent weeks being debriefed at Starbase 12 after the _Enterprise's_ return from the past about the Borg incident, as part of Starfleet's eternal efforts to understand - and maybe one day, utterly defeat - their "most lethal enemy" as Captain Picard had once put it.

When they reached Udina's office, the Federation Ambassador was surrounded by PADDs, clearly trying his best to keep it together in a difficult situation. In the month or so since headhunting Shepard for the XO position, Udina hadn't changed much save for a worry line or two, which were probably quite recent, given the increasingly grim situation. He frowned as Anderson and Shepard entered, his beady eyes fixing on the Commander in an almost accusatory manner.

"Commander, Captain," he said, quite belligerently for someone whose task was meant to be diplomatic. "I suppose I should thank you: I've had about four hundred requests for information about the Borg from various sources since I got the news that Eden Prime was attacked. At least I know some people are becoming well informed about the threat."

"The Council know, then?" Anderson asked grimly.

"Yes," Udina said sharply, "and they're breathing down the Federation's neck about it."

"How do you mean?" Shepard asked, not certain why the Borg would be causing this kind of contention. If anything, people should be falling to their knees begging help from the only power that had successfully held the Borg off twice, though Shepard would have been more than content with a simple "please assist".

"Let me spell it out for you, Commander," Udina said, leaning forward in his desk. "The Citadel races don't have much experience with the Borg. Now that they've blatantly, openly attacked a planet in their space, albeit one we colonised, they're terrified shitless."

"We can't blame them for that," Anderson said reasonably. "So long as they're willing to join forces to combat this threat."

"Unfortunately, it isn't quite that simple," Udina replied heavily. "They're politically a lot more selfish and bellicose out here. Each race watches its own interests first, and then worries abut everyone else afterwards if they have time." He sighed, as if the next thing he said frustrated him immensely. "They're trying to spin this as a Federation-only issue, that its our war and doesn't affect them. They have the gall to blame the Federation for bringing the conflict into Citadel space!"

"Bullshit!" Shepard swore loudly, causing the other two men to stare at him for a moment. This was all he needed - idiotic politicians ignoring the threat that the Borg faced to their space because of terror. Then, to Shepard's surprise, Udina laughed.

"That might be the most succinct summary of this situation I've heard, Commander," he said.

"You've explained that the Borg are a threat to everyone, not just the Federation, yes?" Anderson asked, perhaps a mite tetchy himself.

"Of course I have," Udina replied testily. "But they don't understand. These people haven't had a Wolf 359 to show them what they're facing, they haven't been to the brink with the Borg."

"That will change," Shepard predicted.

"Of course it will," Udina said, misunderstanding Shepard's point entirely. He spoke with a confidence that sounded all too false. "Once we've explained to them what the Borg can do."

He stood up, and headed for the door.

"We've a meeting with the Council in a few minutes to discuss this matter," he said. "I'd like you both present."

* * *

The lift ride to the Council chamber was perhaps one of the longest that Shepard had the misfortune of having experienced. Every second of it seemed to him to be a wait for some hellish battle, he was half glad that he still had his type-1 phaser at his side - not as visible as a type-2 but every bit as handy in a fight, should it come to it. He desperately hoped, however, that it would not, in more ways than one.

The march from the lift to the Council meeting area was an ascent up stairs. Shepard didn't like it very much - it was ostentatious in the wrong way and sent what to him felt like the wrong message. 'Look up to the Council, for they are your betters.' Shepard had always felt that politicians should serve the people, not rule over them. Obviously, not everyone felt that way.

The three members of the council were Tevos the asari, Sparatus the turian and Valern the salarian. Each of them wore ostentatious clothes designed to demonstrate their power to anyone watching, and each of them had elaborate facial markings - Shepard could only assume this was a cross cultural thing, that everyone in this part of the galaxy wore these markings as a rank symbol.

"Commander Shepard," Tevos greeted him as the group of humans arrived. "We have read the reports of what happened on Eden Prime: we regret such a devestating loss of life."

"We understand the Prothean beacon was destroyed during the incident?" Valern put in.

"Unfortunately so," Shepard replied.

"How could you allow such a thing to happen?" Sparatus said angrily. "The information inside that Prothean beacon was almost certainly invaluable!"

"You had best hope that isn't the case," Shepard replied, cooly. "Because the Borg got to it first."

The Councillors looked doubtful.

"Ambassador Udina," Tevos asked, "what is the current situation with the Borg?"

"As always, there have been no formal declarations of war from them," Udina said, "but we can only assume that the Borg are invading. Starfleet is mobilising a fleet to prepare to combat them, but any support your forces can provide would be appreciated."

"How do we know that the Borg even intend war against the Citadel races?" Valern asked, folding his arms. "This could very well be a continuation of their hostilities with your government, and not involve ours at all."

"Anyone who thinks the Borg can be negotiated with might as well surrender for assimilation right now," Shepard put in angrily, his voice slightly raised. The Council was visibly off-put by this, but Captain Anderson stepped up to support his XO.

"I agree," he said. "The Borg are the single greatest threat anyone in our galaxy has ever faced. They are relentless, unstoppable and they intend nothing less than the total subjugation of every single individual in the galaxy, regardless of species or affiliation."

"But we've started no hostilities with them," Tevos pointed out.

"That just makes you an easier target," Shepard replied grimly.

Udina, for his part, was apparently pleased with this - the two officers might not be being politically correct, but they were more than making the point they needed to.

"We cannot countenance mobilising Council fleets," Sparatus said after a moment. "Not when there is no proof that the Borg intend the Citadel races any ill-will. We..."

He was cut off but the lights in the Council chamber flickering, turning a putrid shade of green - a shade all too familiar with Shepard. Suddenly, a giant hologram appeared next to the Council - the tall figure of a turian. He was clad in black, body-fitting armour, and one of his eyes had been covered - or replaced - with a lumpy black implant. He looked down at the assembled Councillors and humans.

"_I have been chosen to speak for the Borg collective_," he said, his voice silky and smooth, tinged with a robotic timbre.

"By the Goddess," Tevos swore, looking up at him. "Saren?"

Shepard turned to look at Anderson, who shook his head and indicated to look at the did so, horrified.

"Spectre Arterius, explain yourself," Sparatus snapped.

"_There is no Saren Arterius,_" the hologram said coldly. "_There is only the collective._"

The Councillors looked at each other, confused and frightened.

"_The Borg offer you a choice,_" the drone who had once been Saren Arterius continued. "_You may surrender yourselves freely to the Borg, become part of a greater whole, infinitely superior to your lives as individuals. Alternatively, you may resist_." He paused. "_It will be... futile," _he added, almost maliciously.He had clearly retained much of his former personality despite his assimilation: the effect on the Council was visible - they were unnerved, frightened even.

"We have no quarrel with you," Tevos began, "and will gladly offer the hand of friendship, but we will not submit to slavery."

"_The 'hand of friendship' is irrelevant,_" Saren - the _thing_ that had been Saren - said, its tone derogatory. "_Submission is also irrelevant. You will be assimilated, either by choice or by force. Your only decision is whether you wish to engage in futile struggle or submit to the inevitable._"

"We will need time to debate," Valern began, stammering and clearly trying to buy time.

"_Time is irrelevant, debate is irrelevant,_" the Borg drone said dismissively. "_When we come for you, it is your actions that will indicate your choice, to surrender to the inevitable or fight in a futile attempt to delay it. In either case, your biological and technological distinctiveness will become part of our own. Resistance is futile._"

With that, the hologram faded away, leaving only three shell shocked Councillors and three grim humans.

"You see now?" Shepard said angrily. "They don't care about treaties, debating, reasoning. They just want you so they can take you and change you into that!"

The Councillors debated quietly with themselves for a moment, and then as one turned to Udina.

"We will do whatever we can to assist you," Tevos said. "We will order our fleets to mobilise - however, I cannot guarantee they will be ready in time."

"One of our priorities should be to find out what the Borg wanted with the Prothean beacon," Captain Anderson put in. "It might have given them data that gives them an advantage."

"Agreed," Sparatus said, after a moment of debate with is fellow Councillors. "With that in mind, we propose a move that will allow the Federation to investigate this situation with no legal hang ups while in Council space."

"What move?" Udina asked.

"Spectre Nihlus Kryik had considered offering Commander Shepard a position as a Spectre himself," Tevos said with a smile. "He noted the Commander's potential."

"It's nominally against Starfleet rules for such dual appointments to exist," Anderson pointed out.

"However," Udina said thoughtfully, "it would make far easier for Commander Shepard to investigate Borg activity in Council space!"

"What would Spectre status entail?" Shepard asked.

"You would report directly to the Council regarding your mission," Valern said. "You would have our full authority on any mission you undertook."

Anderson looked at Shepard and shrugged. Your call. The signal was clear. Udina also looked at him, but his enthusiasm for the idea seemed to be more pronounced.

"I'd be honoured to accept such a position," Shepard said after a moment.

* * *

T'Sal and Liara were running for their lives.

They bolted down a ramp, trying desperately to escape the relentless march of their enemy - creatures T'Sal had identified as "the Borg", who appeared to be technologically augmented humanoids. Liara had never encountered them, but T'Sal had once told her the stories, and in any case, their abilities had been demonstrated all too well upon their landing.

This Prothean dig site was perfect for archeological purposes, but whoever had designed it had doubtless not built it to be run through like a marathon course, or as a decent escape route. The Borg were gaining all too quickly.

Running for her life was not what Liara would have called a pleasant experience. In fact, it was not what she would have called a passable experience. Terrifying might have been a more opportune word, had she thought back on it. Of course, she wasn't really in a position to think on it either.

The two of them reached the service lift that had been put in by their team - their team who even now were probably being... no, Liara didn't want to think about it.

T'Sal started messing with the controls, throwing glances in the direction of the oncoming Borg drones. Some of them were still wearing the uniforms of asari archeologists, people Liara had known well. The grey pallor that spread across once livid blue skin was horrible - it was as though they had been transformed into walking corpses.

"I estimate that this lift will get here before they do," T'Sal said, sounding too calm for to sort of situation. Liara knew it was a ruse however - T'Sal was nowhere near as unflappable as she liked to appear, and this was scaring her as much as it scared Liara. "However, I do not believe that the lift will reach its destination before they get here, and they may be able to interfere with its systems."

"What are you saying?" Liara asked.

T'Sal didn't reply. Instead, she focused on her task. Liara turned around and used her pistol on a few of the oncoming enemy, but her shots were badly aimed and she was too nervous to take more than one out.

Suddenly, she felt T'Sal grab her arm and bodily throw her into the elevator. Before Liara could comment further or protest, T'Sal had already closed the door and was facing her through the grill.

"What are you doing?!" Liara yelled. T'Sal didn't answer, instead holding up her right hand. Her fingers splayed into the Vulcan salute, and her face was almost sad, if that were even possible for a Vulcan.

"Live long and prosper, Liara T'Soni," she said. "You have been a friend."

And then, without further word, she pressed a control and the elevator began it's descent, taking Liara into the depths of the cavern.

Liara banged her hands against the door of the elevator in anguish, yelling incoherently. She couldn't let T'Sal do this! She started yelling some more, but she was cut off by a sudden scream of pain, and then all was silent in the cavern.

As she waited for the descent of the elevator, Liara T'Soni sank to the floor and wept for her lost friend.

* * *

Commander Shepard was now, after a somewhat pretentious ceremony, officially a Spectre. Suffice it to say he didn't feel particularly impressed.

Udina was blathering on about some political bullshittery that he wanted no part of, and Anderson for once was joining him in it. Shepard let the bullshit slide off of him, nodding at appropriate moments and wanting nothing more than a drink to pass the time.

He made his excuses at the first opportunity and headed for a bar called "Chora's Den", a seedy little establishment with asari strippers and dark lighting, trying its damnedest to be moody, and failing for the most part. Once there, the Commander ordered the strongest drink he could (something he couldn't really pronounce) and downed it. He then asked for another, and downed that too.

The Borg had returned - something he had been dreading for years. And this time, they were invading on what might well have been a large scale. Shepard had seen reports about the Battle of Wolf 359, had seen the aftermath of Admiral Hayes' engagement at the Typhon Sector and Sol. When only one cube in either case had been enough to devastate Starfleet and threaten the heart of the Federation, even the remotest possibility of more than one was frankly petrifying. And Shepard was being expected to lead the fight against them.

Something big and heavy and lumbering sat down beside him, stirring him from his dark thoughts. He looked to his left, to see a Krogan male in red battle-armour with a red crest looking at him.

"Can I help you?" he asked. He didn't mean to sound as brusque as he did but he wasn't in the mood.

"You can," the Krogan said, "if you're Commander Shepard, the first Starfleet Spectre."

"Damn, I'm famous already," Shepard chuckled, the tired humour hiding his irritation. "What can I do for you, Mr...?"

"Wrex, Urdnot Wrex," the Krogan said. If Shepard remembered his Krogan sociology correctly from the academy, the "Urdnot" was his clan name.

"What can I do for you then, Urdnot Wrex?" he asked.

"You can let me join your crew," he said bluntly. "Before you say no, I know your Starfleet lets any kind of alien serve, and I bet you could get me a commission as a crew-member."

Shepard nodded slowly, and took a sip of his drink. "Both of these things are true," he said, although he wasn't sure a Commander had the authority to field-commission an officer, or that Captain Anderson would let him, "but that leaves the questions, why do you want to join and why should I take you?"

"Because I know something about the Borg's activities in Citadel space," Wrex replied grimly. Shepard sat up a little at that. Intel about the Borg? This he had to hear.

"Tell me," he said sharply.

"Only if you promise me that position," Wrex said, the Krogan equivalent of a smile on his face.

"I promise you that I'll speak with my Captain abut it," Shepard replied without even having to think about it. "That'll have to do."

"Alright then," Wrex said with a nod. "There are Borg operatives on this station, right now."

"What?" Shepard asked, shocked. "Borg?"

"They haven't said as much," Wrex clarified. "But they sure as hell look like them. Their leader has some funny augmentations that don't look like anything I've seen before. Most of them are just mercs, but I think there are more of them getting augmentations all the time. They're guarding a small cargo bay in the wards a few levels down. Dunno what they're planning, but it's probably bad," he finished.

"Why tell me?" Shepard asked.

"Because I knew some of those mercs," Wrex replied, and offered no more explanation than that - not that Shepard required any. Shepard debated with himself for a moment, then sighed, making a decision. He tapped his combadge, a deep frown now etched into his face.

"Shepard to Alenko, come in," he said.

"_Alenko here, Commander_," the reply came. "_What's up_?"

"Get Ensign Williams and yourself into Hazard Suits and get down to the Citadel wards on the double," the Commander ordered. "Bring a spare TR-116 and some demo charges for me. There's a Borg presence on this station."

"_Aye sir,_" Alenko replied, not questioning the situation. Shepard was grateful for this. He outstretched his hand to Wrex.

"Welcome to Starfleet," he said with a half smile.

"Glad to join up," Wrex replied. "Though I dunno how you're gonna get me into one of those uniforms."


	7. Crew and Command

**Chapter Six: Crew and Command.**

Alenko and Williams, to their credit, were prompt in arriving, meeting with Shepard and Wrex outside Chora's Den. Wrex had told Shepard everything he knew, but there was unfortunately very little hard intel. Wrex had known that there were augmented humanoids but the details of how that technology was brought onto the Citadel were not clear. Wrex suspected some agent of the Spectre Saren that had been unaware of the destructive mature of the Borg tech - or uncaring, which was worse.

Alenko had a cool, professional look on his face - he wasn't exactly enthusiastic about a second close-up encounter with the Borg but he could deal. Williams... Williams looked positively _eager_ for battle, the look on her face as close to a Klingon's lust for battle as Shepard had ever seen on a human. He hoped she wouldn't become like Picard, who had been blinded by the possibility of revenge and sought to destroy any Borg that stood in his way, even at the cost of his own life - and the lives of his crew.

Shaking off the feeling, Shepard stepped forward to greet them. They were both in Hazard Suits and holding TR-116's, and Williams was holding a Hazard Suit belt, which she handed to Shepard the minute he reached them. He gratefully accepted it, pressing a control on the inbuilt transporter buffer and bringing his TR-116 out. He loaded the weapon, checking it over, before beginning a mini-briefing for his team.

"This," he said, indicating Wrex, who was standing behind him, "is Urdnot Wrex, my source. He'll lead us to the designated point, and assist us in clearing out the Borg."

"A civilian?" Alenko asked, sceptically.

"How do we know he can fight?" Williams asked, looking Wrex over with a cool assessing eye.

"I'm Krogan," Wrex replied testily, as though that were answer enough, which to be fair it probably was.

"Mr Wrex can look out for himself," Shepard put in. "We have other concerns. This might be an attempt on the Borg's part to infiltrate the Citadel, capture it from within."

"Doesn't fit with their standard MO, sir," Williams pointed out.

"The Borg adapt in multiple ways," Shepard replied darkly. "Just because they've never used a tactic before doesn't mean they can't use it."

Williams nodded, accepting this explanation. With no further questions from his team, Shepard turned to Wrex.

"I'll assume you know where we're going," he said. Wrex nodded. "Then lead on."

Wrex gave another Krogan smile, and marched off, leaving the Starfleet officers to follow him.

* * *

There were more than a few odd looks thrown their way. Shepard supposed it was only natural - Starfleet officers tended towards being thought of as "soft", or "not real soldiers" by Citadel races, since they didn't wear armour as standard and never self-identified as military. Shepard half-smiled at the thought. Starfleet being an exploration service as well as a defence force confused people: they thought that if you were capable of one, you could not be capable of the other.

Shepard intended to prove them wrong.

The elevator down to the lower levels of the wards was slow. Shepard didn't like elevators at the best of times, instead preferring the use of turbolifts which were faster and more reliable, but it couldn't be helped. He triple checked his TR-116.

"I'm looking forward to seeing Starfleet officers in a fight," Wrex commented as they waited for the elevator to arrive at its destination. "To tell you the truth, I never put much stock in Starfleet officers as soldiers."

Williams bristled at that, but Shepard held up a hand to forestall any tirade.

"Let's see what we can do to fix that," he said with a smile.

The elevator arrived a moment later, and Shepard led the small team off of it and out into the corridor. To his surprise, a young turian was there waiting for him. He wore blue armour, and was armed with a pistol. Further down the corridor, a barricade crudely thrown together with sofas and chairs had been erected, with two more turian C-Sec officers holding the line.

"Excuse me," the first officer said to them, "but this area is under C-Sec quarantine..."

He trailed off as he saw that they were all heavily armed.

"I'm Commander Shepard," Shepard said, holding out a hand, "of the USS Normandy, now also a Council Spectre."

"Yes, I'd heard about that," the C-Sec officer said. "I'm Officer Garrus Vakarian of C-Sec. Mind if I ask what you're doing here Commander?"

"I'm here," Shepard replied, "to deal with your Borg problem."

"Borg?" Vakarian repeated. "What do you mean Borg?"

"I mean, the cybernetic life forms intent on assimilating all life, Borg," Shepard said, slightly testily. He had no time for red tape. "I'm following a lead that a band of mercs infected with Borg tech are holed up down here."

"There are mercs," Vakarian admitted, "and they do appear to have been augmented by some unknown technology, but.."

He was interrupted by shouts from the C-Sec officers from down the corridor, and turned to look, training his pistol down the hallway.

"Stand down!" one of the other officers called. "They're civilians!"

Three figures - two of which looked turian and one asari - were marching down the hall in an altogether too robotic gait - their skin was pallid and the asari had a spider-bloom implant spread across her cheek. They appeared to be unarmed.

"Assimilated," Shepard said grimly. "Alenko, Williams."

The two officers took up firing positions, but Vakarian aimed his pistol squarely at Shepard.

"Those are civilians," he said, angrily. "Tell your people to stand down."

"Whatever they were," Shepard said calmly, "they're gone now."

He was prevented from speaking further by a yell - the assimilated civilians had reached the officers and, to no one's great surprise, had injected them with nanoprobes. Vakarian aimed his gun down the corridor, but Shepard and the other Starfleet officers were quicker, taking down all five Borg - including the former C-Sec - in moments. Once more, Vakarian's gun was aimed at Shepard.

"They were C-Sec officers," he said, his voice filled with a barely restrained fury.

"'You may encounter _Enterprise_ crewmembers who've already been assimilated. Don't hesitate to fire,'" Shepard replied, staring down the pistol. "'Believe me you'll be doing them a favour'. The exact words of Captain Picard, himself once a victim of Borg assimilation, when faced with fighting a Borg infestation on his ship."

"Your friends weren't your friends anymore," Williams added, a haunted look in her eyes. Shepard so easily forgot that she had come within seconds of joining the Hive. "We saved them, the only real way you can."

Vakarian looked from Shepard to Williams, assessing what they were saying, and then looked back to Shepard. After a tense moment, he lowered his weapon.

"How do we end this?" he asked grimly.

"We kill them all," Wrex put in. "That ain't rocket science."

Shepard nodded.

"We'll have to systematically sweep the entire area," he explained, "and flush out every Borg in there. No mercy."

"We sent in squads but we never heard back," Vakarian said.

"They probably hesitated like your friends did when they saw a pretty blue face," Wrex sneered. "And now they're walking around with bits of metal sticking out of their faces."

Vakarian looked to Shepard, who sighed sadly.

"Crudely put but probably true," he said. "I'm sorry."

Vakarian took a moment to digest this information, and sighed.

"There were some good people in those teams," he said, his voice heavy.

"Then we owe it to them to make certain their bodies aren't used as tools by the Hive," Shepard replied, placing a hand on the C-Sec officer's shoulder in a gesture of support. Vakarian looked Shepard in the eye, then nodded resolutely.

"I'm with you all the way," he said, bolstering his pistol and bringing out an assault rifle. "Just give the word."

Shepard smiled, then turned to Alenko and Williams,

"This is the entrance to Borg territory on this station," he said. "Hold it with your lives. If you don't hear from me in thirty minutes, assume the worst and get Captain Anderson to sweep the entire sector with Hazard Teams."

The two Starfleet officers nodded, taking up positions at the barricade. Shepard was grateful for the lack of complaint - he had expected some resistance to the idea of leaving the two to guard the barricade. Williams looked less accepting than Alenko, but she remained silent.

"We going in?" Wrex asked,

"Hell yes," Shepard replied, a grim smile on his face as he reloaded his TR-116.

"Do we have a plan?" Vakarian asked,

"Simple," the Krogan said, slapping the turian on the back. "We're going to kill all the mechanical bastards."

Shepard smiled at the sentiment, and then he jumped over the barricade, Wrex and Vakarian following.

* * *

There were more corridors beyond the barricade that lead down a set of stairs, and into a wide open cargo bay. There were boxes all over the place, but no Borg to be seen anywhere. The lac of enemy activity made Shepard more than a little nervous - after all, if they jumped the three of them in this darkness, not even the projectile weapons they carried would be enough to save them.

"Is there any chance of encountering someone we can save?" Vakarian asked as the three walked through the dark room.

"Unlikely," Shepard replied. "But then, this is a new tactic on the Borg's part. A lot sneakier than anything they usually do."

The three of them marched ahead, weapons raised. Shepard clocked a green light dead ahead, and gestured for the other two to follow him.

After a few moments, they reached a row of boxes and crouched behind them, before peeking over to see what was generating the light.

A large, metallic construct was being worked on by a group of about thirty Borg. The construct was fifteen feet tall, with a series of Borg regeneration alcoves installed at its base, each one occupied by an assimilated civilian or mercenary, some of whom were being augmented by other drones even as the group watched. None of the drones were full assimilations yet, but there were definite signs that this was being worked on. Surrounding the construct were twenty or so armed Borg - they were holding what looked like modified Citadel-space assault rifles, and each of them had varying degrees of augmentation. Several of them were in C-Sec blue.

"Some of those men are my team," Vakarian growled.

"Not any more," Shepard reminded him. "They're gone now."

"I know," he said. "Just let me at those things so I can remind their bodies of the fact."

Shepard looked over at the construct, then back to his team.

"We'll pour fire on them, eliminate the drones, then I'll put a demo charge at the base of that thing," he said. "Questions?"

"What's the blast radius of the charge?" Wrex asked.

"Couple of dozen metres," Shepard replied, "maybe more. It's a Borg construct so it's probably tougher than it looks."

"Let's do this," Vakarian said grimly.

Shepard nodded, and gestured for the two to begin their flanking manoeuvres. Wrex crept along the left of the row of boxes, while Vakarian moved along the right. Shepard remained in the centre. A moment later, both his squadmates confirmed that they were in position. Shepard held up a hand with three fingers raised. He dropped the first. Then a second. And finally, he dropped the third.

Wrex and Vakarian jumped up, each of them spraying fire on the assimilated mercenaries and C-Sec agents. A moment later, Shepard joined then, pouring fire onto the group of Borg. It took the drones a moment to realise they were being fired at and by that time half the armed ones were down. The minute they realised the threat however, they returned fire, forcing Shepard to take cover. Wrex, yelling, charged forward, blasting drones apart with his shotgun before they could get closer to him. Vakarian was providing cover fire, his shots deadly accurate, each one felling a drone. A moment later, the last armed Borg fell and Shepard stepped up, pouring more fire onto the remaining drones. After a moment, they were down.

"Check the perimeter for more!" he yelled, jumping over the barricade and charging for the construct. All the regenerating Borg had been dealt with as well, leaving just the construct itself. Shepard took a detailed scan on his tricorder, and then set a demo charge from his buffer into its base,

"No more Borg," Vakarian reported. Shepard acknowledged the report and stepped back, signalling the two to fall back, they began a steady jog out of the cargo bay, while Shepard held up his tricorder, now synced to the demo charge.

"We're clear!" Wrex yelled, and Shepard pressed the detonation control.

The explosion tore through the construct, causing what little was left of it to collapse to the floor. Shepard stumbled slightly as the shockwave hit him, before ramming into the far wall. Wrex and Vakrian hit the wall on either side of him, both winded by the force of the shockwave.

"Damn!" Shepard yelled, before he started laughing uncontrollably. After a moment, Wrex and Vakarian joined him, all three of them laughing hysterically at the rush of having just survived near death.

* * *

They were still laughing hysterically when they walked back out to meet Alenko and Williams by the C-Sec barricade. Alenko looked grim.

"Sir," he said, his tone causing Shepard to stop laughing.

"Report Alenko," he ordered. In reply, Alenko held out a small comb device, apparently recovered from one of the Borg. A voice was speaking tinnily from it.

"_Are you there? Answer me! Saren wants a report. Are the augmentations working? I'm hearing a lot of noise about C-Sec down there_." The voice was male, and sounded frantic.

"I know that voice," Wrex growled. "It's Fist, an agent of the Shadow Broker."

"The who?" Williams asked.

"A information broker," Wrex explained. "I've done the odd job for him. Or her. Or it."

"You don't know what the Shadow Broker is?" Shepard asked.

"No one does," Wrex said with a shrug. "Hires everyone through agents. The question is, what's Fist's involvement with this?"

"We should go find out," Shepard said. "If he's harbouring Borg technology..."

Just then, Shepard's combadge beeped. He tapped it.

"Shepard here," he said.

"_Shepard_," the voice of Captain Anderson came. "_Meet me at the Presidium transport rendezvous, I have news_."

"I'm on my way sir," Shepard said, irritated. "Shepard out."

He turned to look at Wrex and Vakarian.

"I need you two to go look into Fist," he said. "Get any information out of him that you can."

"Can do," Wrex replied simply. He started walking towards the elevator, his mind clearly already focusing on his next task.

"Commander," Vakarian said, holding out a hand. 'Thank you for helping me."

"Couldn't have done it without you, Vakarian," Shepard replied with a smile.

"Garrus," the young turian said. "Call me Garrus."

"Ok, Garrus," Shepard smiled. "Now get going."

Garrus nodded, and jogged off to join Wrex. Alenko walked up behind Shepard.

"Ever get the feeling we've just started a habit of picking up strays?" he asked, a slightly wry humour in his tone.

"Yup," Shepard replied, not entirely unhappy with the idea. "I do. Come on."

With that, the three Starfleet officers headed for the rendezvous.

* * *

A few minutes later, he and his team were walking back to the rendezvous with Anderson and Udina. Anderson was talking to the Ambassador, who handed him a small black box. Then the two noticed Shepard.

"Commander," Udina said with a knowing smile. "I take my leave."

He walked off, looking incredibly pleased with himself. Anderson on the other hand looked somewhat morose, but he seemed to shake it off. He smiled at Shepard.

"Commander, I'd like to speak to you alone, if possible," he said, giving the other two a pointed look.

Alenko and Williams nodded, taking the hint, and a moment later both were beamed back to the Normandy.

"You wanted to speak with me sir?" Shepard asked, unsure where this was going.

"Got some good news for you, Commander," Anderson said softly. "The Federation Council and Starfleet Command have been in contact."

"What's the news sir?" Shepard asked softly.

"A task force is inbound to help combat the renewed Borg threat," Anderson replied. "And they've sent word about a few reassignments."

"Reassignments, sir?" Shepard asked, not entirely comfortable with the way that sounded.

Anderson pointed to his own collar - he now wore a fifth pip on his collar, black like that of a Lieutenant Commander or Lt Junior Grade.

"I've been made Commodore of the fleet, directly reporting to Admiral Hackett of the Fifth," he said, smiling. "Officially stationed on the Citadel."

"Then who's taking the _Normandy_, sir?" Shepard asked. Anderson's smile widened, and he handed Shepard the small black box. The Commander opened it, frowning at the contents.

It was a single gold rank pip.

"You're taking her," Anderson said. "_Captain_."

* * *

**AN: In reply to a review that was unsigned, requiring this note, as a general point regarding Borg and projectile weaponry.**

**I found the point - that the Borg should be able to adapt to projectile weaponry and no evidence exists in canon that they cannot, given that they are only once combated by projectile weapons, and then only briefly - interesting, however: I have taken it upon myself to use several elements from "non-canon" Star Trek, such as Hazard Suits from the Elite Force games and the continued use of the TR-116 projectile weapon as a anti-Borg weapon, as seen in the Destiny trilogy. In these sources, the Borg have clearly been stated as being vulnerable to projectile weaponry. Furthermore as the review notes, removing this weakness would be story suicide, as the ground forces of Citadel space would be - if you'll pardon the parlance - right royally f**ked. **

**Your suggestion that the Borg adapt to include kinetic shields in their design is one I have already considered, and will most likely be including, given their assimilation of Saren and other Citadel forces, again as you noted. As for Borg ships (and Star Trek designs in general) vs Citadel ships (and Mass Effect ships in general) in space engagements, I have put much careful thought into this, as were I to take Trek vs Effect seriously I would be forced to conclude that Star Trek has the distinct advantage in such engagements, given the fact that their shields are built to stop projectiles - and projectiles are the main armament of Mass Effect. Since this is not what I deem good storytelling, I've "tweaked" that idea slightly.**

**Thank you for taking the time to leave a detailed, thoughtful review.**


	8. Captain Shepard

**Chapter Seven: Captain Shepard.**

Shepard felt numb shock spreading through his system like black ink in clear water. Captain? _Captain_?! He had only just been promoted to Commander, to the position of Executive Officer. That was a posting you were meant to hold for years to develop the experience necessary to _be_ a Captain! He wasn't ready for the responsibility inherent in being Captain of a Starship, wasn't ready for the weight on his shoulders.

"Sir, I... I don't know what to say," he said after a long moment, more than a little confused by the whole idea. "I'm not ready..."

"You have to be, Captain," the now Commodore Anderson said seriously. "Starfleet needs you to be ready, needs you to be the one fighting the Borg out there on the front lines."

"Front lines sir?" Shepard asked. Anderson sighed heavily, turning away from Shepard.

"That's the bad news, I'm afraid," he said softly.

"Lay it on me straight, sir," Shepard said grimly. Whatever this was, it wasn't going to be pretty. Anderson turned bak to face him.

"The Borg have begun a large scale incursion, just as we've feared," he said, softly. "The Turian Hierarchy has reported encounters with cubes, though no large scale engagements or losses yet. A prominent asari matriarch went missing, along with a number of her followers. Feros and Noveria both report sightings, and we've lost contact with the former, along with a series of raids on various other colonies and a distress call from an archeological dig on Therum."

"We're at war then," Shepard said softly.

"Looks like it." Anderson returned his gaze to Shepard, steel in his eyes. "I don't care if you think you're ready, Captain Shepard. You're our best hope out there. With your Spectre status, you can investigate what the Borg are planning without being hindered by red tape."

Shepard looked at the pip in his hand, feeling a weight far more than the plastic box and golden rank pin in his hand. He didn't know if he could handle everything this pip symbolised.

But he would have to.

"I accept the assignment," he said formally.

"Good," Anderson said. "I'll be on _Normandy_ for the handover ceremony shortly. Dress uniform is optional, given the circumstances," he added wryly at the end.

"Aye sir," Shepard said, a little relieved at that.

With that, Anderson turned on his heel and walked off. clearly he had some work to be getting on with.

Shepard considered his situation and frowned. He had no desire to be Captain, no desire to command a Starship, and to his knowledge had never had such desires. Taking the executive officer role was as far as he had ever been willing to climb the ranks - to now be solely responsible for the conduct, actions and most importantly welfare of seven hundred people was overwhelming. Now, all of their lives were now squarely in his hands. He did not feel ready for this, and if he had a thousand years, he would never feel ready for this.

"Commander!" a voice came, interrupting his thoughts. He turned to see Wrex and Garrus approaching him.

"Gentlemen," he said, sounding more confident than he felt. "What's the sitrep?"

"Fist was working for Saren," Wrex said. "But he had no idea what he was transporting to those mercs. We... dissuaded him from continuing the practice."

"Good work," Shepard said with a smile.

"Now it's your turn, Shepard," Wrex said, leaning forward and pointing. "I want a place on your crew."

"And me too, Commander," Garrus put in.

"What about your work with C-Sec?" Shepard asked.

"They'll do without me," Garrus said, determination in his voice. "I want to put a stop to those murdering Borg bastards. No one else gets mutilated and violated at their hands!"

Shepard could certainly understand the sentiment. He looked from one to the other, a smile slowly spreading across his face.

"Alright, gentlemen," he said. "You're in." He tapped his combadge, smiling at the look of determination and triumph on both their faces. "Shepard to _Normandy_. Three to beam back."

* * *

The formal ceremony took place about an hour later (all too soon in Shepard's book), in the crew lounge, with most of the senior staff and a fair few junior crew in attendance. Wrex and Garrus were there, neither yet officially commissioned as officers. Anderson stood at a podium, delivering a speech to the assembled crew. Shepard stood behind him, head bowed in deference.

"Though I have only commanded you a short time," Anderson said, solemn and proud, "I believe I have had the distinction of serving with some of the best officers and crew in the entire fleet. I hope - I know - that you will serve Captain Shepard as diligently, efficiently and honourably as you have served for me."

He turned smartly to face Shepard, who held out his hand for the now former captain to shake.

"I relieve you sir," the younger man said solemnly, not sounding especially eager for his command.

'I stand relieved," Anderson replied, taking the hand and shaking it smartly. He winked at Shepard and mouthed "good luck," and then he had stepped down, leaving Shepard alone in front of the Captain's - no, now they were his - crew.

He looked out at the expectant faces of his crew, unsure of where to begin. "What would Picard do?" he thought to himself. To give a motivational speech, direct, eloquent but simple, that was Picard's style. But that style was not Shepard's style, and Shepard couldn't pull it off like Picard could.

What was Shepard's style then?

In the three seconds that felt like an eternity, he thought hard about what he wanted to convey, but he had no natural command talent. In the end, he spoke from the heart: it was all he could do.

"Crew," he began after a moment, "I won't lie to you. We have been assigned a dangerous mission, one that some of us may not return from. One that many of us - all of us - may not return from." He paused. "The Borg represent the single greatest threat to the Federation and to the Citadel races that has ever existed. Greater by far than anything we have ever fought before. Anyone who does not accept that is deluding themselves. In this fight, we must be prepared to lay down our lives for the sake of the freedom of all species, we must be prepared to die to defend what we believe in." He looked around the faces of his crew, including Wrex and Garrus, and each of them seemed to be affected by his words. "I know I can expect that dedication from you. And I promise to be right there with you. 'What am I dying for'?"

"For the Captain!" the voice of Ashley Williams suddenly called out, fist raised in triumphant support. Shepard blinked in shock. It was an old adage, one coined by Captain Kirk in the days of his first five year mission, when being the Captain meant being on every mission, right there, taking the same risks as your people. He had learned it as a youth, and he had used it reflexively without really thinking. He didn't expect anyone to know it.

The call was echoed, first by Alenko, then Chakwas. Tali'Zorah the engineer called it out, then Pressly and Moreau. Wrex had yelled it, and Garrus too, and soon the entire crew had taken up the cry. "For the Captain!"

"And why?!" Shepard asked the crew, rhetorically.

"Because he would die for me!" the crew yelled at him, as one.

Shepard suddenly felt elated, like the entire process of command was clear. No doubt clouded his vision, no fear his mind. He was the Captain. They would fight and die for him, as he would for them. That was the covenant of Captain and Crew.

"I promise to live up to that as best I can," Shepard told them, as earnestly as he could manage. "I promise to do my best for you. Company - dismissed!"

When he stepped down, it was to applause and claps on the back. Shepard looked up to see Anderson smiling at him. If only he had known why.

What Anderson saw in that moment was the Kirk spirit he had been after. Anderson silently thanked Jean-Luc Picard for picking Shepard. The man was precisely what they needed at a time like this.

* * *

Garrus and Wrex met Shepard by the door to the lounge as he walked off to see to his new duties.

"Captain," Garrus said, falling into step behind him. Wrex followed a few steps behind.

"Mr Vakarian," Shepard said formally. "Mr Wrex. We'll see to your field commissions shortly, I promise."

"That's partly why we're here," Garrus said, looking to Wrex.

"This is a big ship, Shepard," Wrex said, sounding gruffly concerned, "and its got a lot of people. We don't want to be sitting around waiting to be useful."

"How do you mean?" Shepard asked, not breaking his stride.

"We want some assurance that we'll play an important role on this ship," Garrus put in.

Shepard stopped, and turned to look at them.

"Everyone on this ship plays an important role," he said, frowning slightly.

"What I mean is, we want to be doing something that feels like an active role," Garrus said. "I can't speak for Wrex, but if I wanted to sit down on the lower decks re-routing power supplies, I could have joined Starfleet academy for that."

Shepard decided to play tough with the two of them. It wasn't that he didn't understand their point of view, but what they were asking for was preferential treatment.

"Mr Vakarian," he said sharply to Garrus, who stood to attention at the sound of a military voice, "you and Mr Wrex will report to the Quartermaster on deck five, get fitted with uniforms, and begin familiarising yourself with standard issue equipment. Clear?"

"Yes sir," Garrus said, military background overcoming will to argue. Wrex folded his arms and looked unimpressed.

"And what is it we'll be doing?" Wrex asked. "Cleaning out conduits?"

"Hardly," Shepard said. "That wouldn't be a good use of your skill-set. But I'm not giving either of your preferential treatment just because you asked for it."

"Then what duties will we be assigned, sir?" Garrus asked.

"You're both getting field commissions as full Lieutenants," Shepard told him. "Tell that to the Quartermaster, and he'll see to it that the appropriate insignia are in place. You're assigned to Security team Alpha. Dismissed."

"Aye sir," Garrus said, walking off without further ado. Wrex, however, stayed for a moment, arms folded.

"I'm older than anyone on this ship," he said grumpily, "and been in more fights than anyone here too, and I'm a lousy Lieutenant?"

"This isn't a pissing contest, Wrex," Shepard said grimly. "It's a starship, and there has to be a chain of command." He paused for a moment, considering. "Having said that, your experience may be pretty vital to any engagements we have to fight. How about this - you remain a Lieutenant, but you're in charge of Alpha except when I'm present."

"Which will be how often?" Wrex asked, sceptically.

"I'm the Captain now," Shepard said, shrugging. "I didn't give that speech about fighting and dying for the crew to just stay on the ship in a comfy command chair."

Wrex stood there for a moment, thinking over what Shepard was telling him, then he smiled, and slapped Shepard on the arm.

"I like you Shepard," he said after a moment. "Words aren't just words to you. You know you have to make them mean something."

"That mean you'll take the Lieutenant rank?" Shepard asked.

"Hell yeah," Wrex replied. "But I'll want a promotion soon."

"I'll bear that in mind," Shepard laughed, as Wrex walked in the same direction Garrus had.

Shepard was quite proud of himself, actually. He had just navigated his first assignment talk with a crewman, trying to make sure they were happy and respected the chain of command - that was the hard bit. Now all he needed to do was save the galaxy.

He laughed. Piece of cake.

* * *

Once he reached the bridge, Shepard was greeted by a formal "Captain on the bridge!" from Pressly. He looked around his crew.

Moreau was sat at the helm, chair turned to face his new captain. Next to him at the Ops station sat Kaidan Alenko, a look of encouragement on his face. Built into the wall panel and railing of the left of the bridge (looking at the viewscreen) was the tactical station, where Williams stood, now promoted into first shift Tactical officer and chief of security, standing stiffly to attention. Vas Normandy sat at the engineering console, looking at him expectantly. As first officer, Pressly now wore a red-edged unifora jacket and red undershirt. He was standing to attention by the command chair, which he had vacated the moment Shepard entered the room.

"The bridge is yours, Captain," he said formally. "And the seat."

"Thank you, Mr Pressly," Shepard replied, nodding. He walked towards the command chair slowly, carefully, as though concerned that it might somehow judge him. He thought of all the captains on all the ships in all the fleet who must have felt that same trepidation the first time they walked towards the centre seat, and he slowed his breathing, deliberately trying to calm himself. He stepped in front of the seat, and let himself slowly sink into it, as careful as if he were sinking into hot water.

It was a comfortable chair.

Whatever great feeling he was supposed to feel, sat in the centre seat, he wasn't. It was just like every other chair on every other Starfleet vessel he'd served on. But then, he didn't feel ready to take her, he supposed. It was enough that he was in the chair, for now.

"Sir," Pressly said, holding out a PADD, "Captain Anderson left this for you."

Shepard took the PADD, pressed it, and smiled at the words that popped up.

If you don't feel like you belong in the chair, you do,

Shepard looked up, doubt dispelled for the moment. He smiled, and leaned forward.

"Mr Alenko," he said. "Give me everything you have on Therum."

"Aye sir," Alenko replied, inputting commands on his console.

Of the various targets Anderson had given Shepard to consider, Therum was the most interesting: why would the Borg be interested in an archeological dig? The only reason Shepard could think of was that there was something here related to what they wanted from the Prothean beacon.

"Site of an archeological dig headed by Professor T'Sal of Vulcan and Dr Liara T'Soni, both noted experts on the Prothean extinction," Alenko reported after a moment. Shepard smacked his fist into his palm triumphantly.

"That's the relation," he said, ignoring Pressly's quizzical look. "The Borg want Prothean technology for some reason. Mr Moreau, set course for Therum, via relay and then maximum warp!"

"Aye sir," Moreau replied, inputting the commands into his console. A moment later, the USS _Normandy_ had set off into the wide open reaches of Citadel space...


	9. En Route to Therum

**Chapter Eight: En Route to Therum.**

Shepard sat back in his command chair and thought over the situation on Therum. It wasn't a planet he knew overly much about, which was a worry if he was going to lead a combat mission there, so he made a mental note to look over the files for the planet while the ship was en route. And then, slowly, his thoughts turned to his new ship and crew, a crew he barely knew before he was their captain, let alone after.

Moreau turned to look at the Captain.

"With a series of mass relay jumps, plus warp speed," he said cheerfully, shaking Shepard out of his morose thoughts, "we should be at Therum within six hours."

"Thank you Mr Moreau," Shepard said. He realised with some surprise and a little guilt that he didn't know anything about the helmsman, apart from his name of course. Come to think about it, he didn't know much about any of his crew other than their names - no knowledge about their service histories, nothing about their records. Although it had technically been his duty to do so as the First Officer, he had always assumed that he'd have time to get to know then, that he would be serving as the First Officer for... well, years. Instead, he didn't know a crew whose lives were in his hands, whose welfare depended on decisions he would have to make. He decided that he had to rectify this.

"Mr Pressly," he said, turning to look at his XO. "I would like to see every member of my senior staff in my ready room while we're en route to Therum. Arrange it for me please."

"Aye sir," Commander Pressly replied smartly, already grabbing a PADD and beginning the work.

With that sorted, Shepard headed off to his ready room to look over the _Normandy's_ specs.

* * *

When the ready room door beeped after fifteen minutes, he looked up with a soft smile. Pressly had come through for him, as any good XO should. It was time for him to get to know his crew.

"Come in." he called.

Through the door walked Lieutenant Junior Grade Jeff Moreau, beard and all. He limped slightly, which made Shepard frown: he made a mental note to mention it. He stood to attention in front of the Captain's desk.

"You wanted to see me sir?" he asked, sounding more formal than he usually did..

"Yes Mr Moreau, I did indeed," Shepard said, standing up. "It's one of my new protocols as Captain that I like to get to know the people I'm serving with."

"What would you like to know sir?" Moreau asked. Shepard took a moment to think about it.

"I see in your file that you're often call 'Joker'," he finally said, indicating a PADD on his desk.

"Yes sir I am," Moreau said stiffly, looking slightly embarrassed by the fact.

"I'd like to know the story behind that," Shepard asked, smiling.

Moreau - Joker - relaxed slightly but had a quizzical look on his face.

"Why would you want to know about that sir?" he asked confused. "It's not exactly... vital."

"Like I said," Shepard reiterated, "you're a member of my crew and I'd like to know a bit about you."

Joker blinked, as though he was recalling some old memory long since forgotten.

"Well," he began, "in the academy I spent most of my time studying and not much time having fun." He frowned, remembering the time vividly. "I wanted to be a pilot more than anything, and I knew if I goofed around like everyone else in my class I would get nowhere. Or at least, I felt like I'd get nowhere."

Shepard nodded. He could see where the other man was coming from in that regard.

"One of the other instructors noticed I was very serious about my work and took to calling me Joker," Moreau continued. He gave a wry smile. "Guess she found it funny."

"There must have been some reason you were so serious," Shepard pointed out. "I as dedicated but I tried to have fun when I could."

"I had Vrolik's syndrome as a kid," Joker said, pointing to his leg. "You saw the limp? When I was five, that kind of walk would have shattered my legs. As it stands, I'm still not approved for ground missions. The stuff in the daily hypo the doctors pump into my system strengthens my bones a bit, but it was always an uphill struggle in the academy."

"So you didn't have any fun ?" Shepard asked.

"I had fun when I had time, the world doesn't reward anyone if you piss around," Joker said with a frown. Then he coughed. "Sir."

Shepard smiled, showing hat he wasn't mad about the minor breach in protocol. If anything, he approved of it: better a minor breach in protocol than a major one later, and if the guy was good at his job, what did a little swearing matter?

"Did it pay off for you?" he asked after a moment.

Joker grinned at that.

"Well I'm here aren't I?" he said.

* * *

The next person Shepard had to see was Alenko. The other man had a grim, serious expression on his face. He practically marched into the ready room and stood crisply to attention in front of Shepard's desk - he looked so stiff that Shepard thought he might bust a muscle.

"You wanted to see me sir?" he asked, looking to all the world as if he was up for a court martial. Shepard smiled at his manner: uncertainty in the face of a new Captain. Shepard knew that feel.

"Yes I did," he replied "I'd like to know more about you, Mr Alenko."

"Everything important is in my file sir," Alenko said, still stood crisply to attention.

"Yes it is, Mr Alenko," Shepard confirmed with a nod, "but I'd like to hear it from you. I like to know what sort of people I'm serving with."

Alenko looked Shepard in the eye and, after a moment, relaxed a fraction, almost as if he were granting himself permission to relax, despite already having that permission.

"Sorry sir," he said slightly sheepishly. "I'm not entirely used to being informal with my superior officers."

"Well, I'm not entirely used to being a superior officer," Shepard replied with a wry grin. "I was a Lieutenant a few weeks ago."

Alenko relaxed, and started pacing slightly, gathering his thoughts.

"Applied to Starfleet academy 2363," he began. "Accepted. Trained in operations division, got first assignment on Starbase Fourteen, yada, yada, yada." He gave an awkward smile. "All in the file."

"And what about the parts that aren't in your file?" Shepard asked, smiling back.

Alenko frowned thoughtfully, closed his eyes as though debating with himself, and then finally opened them, apparently making some kind of decision.

"I have biotic potential," he said softly after a moment. "Or I did have, dunno if its still there. I chose to suppress it, instead of choosing to join the Biotic Corps like most of us are... encouraged to. I always figured that they - other Starfleet officers - look at you differently when you're in that purple shirt."

"You was afraid of discrimination?" Shepard asked, frowning. He would have liked to say it was unheard of but lying wasn't Shepard's thing. The Starfleet Biotic Corps was dedicated to understanding the potential of Biotic officers, as well as utilising their talents in a way that maximised the lives they could save. That the Corps service accidentally segregated them from their fellow officers in the process was considered by some a necessary evil.

"I was afraid to not do what I wanted," Alenko clarified. "In the Biotic Corps, they send you off to hellholes to lift rubble and shore up dams, unless you end up in a commando squad." He paused, and laughed softly. "It's good work to be sure, not saying otherwise, but its... not serving on a starship," he finished awkwardly.

"So you put your own needs before the needs of the Federation" Shepard said, slightly sceptically.

"You make it sound so easy," Alenko said with a frown. "But I did a lot of soul-searching before I made that choice."

"What made you finally decide to suppress the biotic potential, then?" Shepard asked.

"I guess, in the end," Alenko said hesitantly, "I had to follow the first duty of every Starfleet officer."

Shepard nodded in understanding. "To the truth," he said softly.

"Yes" Alenko replied. "That's it exactly. The truth, whether scientific, historical... or personal." He smiled. "I had to be true to my self as much as anything else. I'd never forgive myself, losing the ability to choose my own posting, losing the chance to serve on a ship."

Shepard leaned back on the desk and nodded. To tell the truth, he could understand Alenko's dilemma - on the one hand, the needs of the many. A biotic serving in the Starfleet Biotic Corps could save hundreds of people on worlds suffering disasters. On the other hand, there were the needs of the one, the need of one man to be true to himself and what he wanted is life to be.

"Do you think you made the right choice?" Shepard asked.

"I don't know," Alenko said softly, turning away from the captain. "That's why I refused promotion to exec of the _Rhode Island _- I imagine that's in my file. I just didn't feel I deserved a position of responsibility after makeing a selfish decision like that."

Shepard nodded thinking over the Lieutenant's reasoning for his decision. The note that he had refused that promotion had indeed been in the file - along with three similar refusals - and Shepard had found it interesting. He had considered asking about it but Alenko had preempted it.

"For what it's worth Mr Alenko, I understand your decision, and might have made it my self in your shoes," Shepard said after a moment. "You might have done good work in the Biotic Corps, but you have definitely done good work here."

"Thank you sir," Alenko replied, smiling.

"Dismissed!" Shepard said.

* * *

When Ensign Ashley Williams walked in and stood stiffly to attention in front of Shepard's desk, Shepard almost sighed. He half considered putting up a sign saying 'no standing to attention in front of the Captain'.

"You wanted to see me sir?" she asked, shaking him out of his thoughts.

"Yes Williams, I did," Shepard replied, holding up a PADD. "I've been reading your service history."

Williams stood even more stiffly to attention than she had been, if that was even physically possible.

"And did you find anything of interest, Captain?" she asked.

"You might say that," Shepard replied. He pressed a control on the PADD and it began showing him a summary of her service record that he had compiled. "You served on the USS _Garrett_ for four years, being assigned there straight out of the academy. During that time, you served with what Captain Grayson described as 'distinction, honour and an almost suicidal self destructive streak'." Shepard paused, noting Williams' slightly tortured expression. "Wanna explain the last bit?"

Williams blinked a couple of times at the blunt reading of her file. she didn't look like she wanted to explain anything, but after a moment, she did.

"I am the granddaughter of Lieutenant Commander Williams, Second Officer and Tactical Officer of the _Enterprise-C_." She paused, blinking. "I'm sure you know that he, along with the entire crew of that ship, died heroically defending the Klingon outpost of Narendra III." She paused for a moment, then gave a bittersweet smile. "Cannon to the right of them, cannon to the left of them, cannon in front of them volley'd and thundered."

"Storm'd at with shot and shell, boldly they rode and well, into the jaws of Death, into the mouth of Hell rode the Six Hundred," Shepard finished, smiling sadly. The death of the _Enterprise-C_ was legendary, she that had made the first contact with Council Space, she still honoured by a statue in the Praesidium of the Citadel, she that had died defending a Klingon outpost and in doing so cemented an alliance that had been so fragile. "Good poetry."

"Dad loved poetry," Williams told him, the bittersweet smile still there. "He died at Typhon on Admiral Hayes' ship. To hell with the damn Borg," she added, almost as an afterthought.

Shepard nodded at that and motioned for her to continue.

"With so many heroes in my blood, I'm expected to follow in their heroic footsteps," Williams continued after a moment. "Everyone expects me to die heroically like they both did."

"I'm sure no expects you to die" Shepard said, slightly bemused by the notion.

"They've never said so," Williams agreed, "but they expect great things from me. And in my book, there's nothing greater than dying for the ideals Starfleet stands for."

"So you want to die?" Shepard asked, not liking where this was going.

"No, sir!" Williams replied, looking shocked at the notion. "I just know I can - it's a real possibility in my line of work. And if my death can protect the Federation, I'd die in a heartbeat."

Shepard frowned at her words, and stood up to stand in front of her. "It is more than possible to serve with distinction and honour with out getting killed," he said sharply "You are not a Klingon. Death in battle is not the highest honour you can achieve."

"Respectfully, sir," Williams said, frowning slightly, "I disagree."

Shepard out the PADD down, and sighed.

"There will be no suicidal self sacrificing on this ship, Ensign, if you intend to remain aboard this vessel," he said, hoping he was making his point clearly. "If a mission requires sacrifice, then it does, but that is a Captain's call to make, not yours. Understood?"

"One hundred percent, sir," Williams nodded.

"Dismissed," Shepard said, and Williams walked out of his ready room.

"Captain?" came the voice of Joker. "We're coming up on the Therum system now."

Shepard sighed. He had a few more appointments he had wanted to make before arriving at Therum, but duty left little time for this sort of thing. He had been fortunate to meet with those he had met with.

* * *

When he walked out of his ready room, he almost ran into chief engineer Zorah.

"Captain!" she yelped, slightly shocked at nearly being barrelled over. "I was just coming to speak with you as per Mr Pressly's..."

"No time right now, Lieutenant," Shepard cut her off. "We're coming up on Therum."

"Aye sir," Zorah said, nodding. She composed herself while Shepard headed to the command chair.

In truth, Tali was glad she missed her chance at a "one to one" with the Captain. She hadn't really been looking forward to it. She had always been awkward around people who weren't her people, and he was the Captain after all. And handsome. Quite handsome. She couldn't seem to forget that one. Yes, she would have almost certainly made a fool of herself, and making a fool of herself was not her favourite activity by any stretch of the imagination.

"Lieutenant Zorah!" a voice shook her out of her thoughts, and she turned to Shepard, who was looking at her. "I want you to run some scans of the surface, see if we can transport down."

"Aye sir," Tali said, snapping to it.

"Looks pretty decent," Alenko put in from the Ops station. "Breathable atmosphere, if a little hot. I'm detecting what looks like a Federation research post..."

"That'll be the archeological dig site," Tali put in. "Looks like we can beam in, but scans say its crawling with Borg - detecting at least fourteen drones..."

"No ships in range sir," Williams added from the tactical station. "Looks like they just dropped a few drones off and left."

"Probably didn't think anyone would come to the rescue," Shepard said grimly. "Let's disabuse them of that notion."

He stood up, and started towards the turbolift.

"Zorah," he said as he walked, "you're with me. We don't know if we'll need someone with your technical expertise down there and I'd rather not take the chance. Williams, continue scans for Borg ships, and have Vakarian and Wrex meet us in transporter room three."

"Aye sir!" Williams said sharply, already beginning her scans. Shepard entered the turbolift, Tali right behind him. As the door closed, Shepard said, in perfect imitation of a certain Captain he'd served with once:

"Number One, you have the bridge."


	10. Therum Landing

**AN: I'm sorry to say my next update won't be for a little while. I'll be away from the Internet starting tomorrow so I won't be able to update with quite the speed I have been doing. Apologies for the inconvenience.**

* * *

**Chapter Nine: Therum Landing.**

In the transporter room, Shepard checked and triple checked his TR-116 - this would doubtless more be more of a cleanup mission than a rescue, unless the Borg were being unusually slow on the assimilation front, but he couldn't help but feel as though there might be _something_ down here worth his time, even if it was just some idea why fifty thousand year old technology was somehow relevant to an ever advancing, improving collective of hyper-logical machine creatures.

Garrus and Wrex were both present. The quartermaster had apparently decided that, rather than try to adapt standard uniforms for their use, he would be better getting something like their armour, except in Starfleet colours. Wrex's shoulder plates and crest armour were in Starfleet grey, the rest in black, save for bands of security mustard around his wrists and collar. The rim of Garrus' neck armour was security yellow, as was the same kind of band around his wrists, and he too had grey and black. Both of them had the field commission rank insignia bars of Lieutenants. Lieutenant Zorah hadn't changed her suit, but had instead put over it an extra ablative armour vest.

"What do we know about the planet?" Garrus asked, hoisting a TR-116 With a scope attachment.

"Not much," Shepard replied. "Volcanic, breathable atmosphere, Federation research post with Borg problem."

"Sounds like fun," Wrex put in, racking his shotgun. It seemed as though he didn't like Starfleet's standard issue projectile weapon, and Shepard wasn't about to argue with him about it. To his left, Lieutenant Zorah checked her own TR-116 methodically.

"Wish they made a pistol version of this," she muttered.

"Something for you to work on Lieutenant?" Shepard said with a wry grin. The Lieutenant jumped slightly when he spoke to her, and almost stood to attention.

"Yes sir!" she said quickly. "Will work on it sir!"

"I was more joking, Lieutenant," Shepard said softly. "But if you want to work on it, you can."

"I will sir," Zorah said, nodding, "and I'll get results to you as soon as possible."

Shepard nodded, smiling. The Lieutenant was definitely what he'd call "jumpy" among other things, but he'd worked with officers like that before. They might have been a little on edge, sometimes too eager to please, but they were always the best at their job. Best to leave her to work on that if she felt the need to.

"Ok," he said to the team. "We land, we look for anyone who hasn't been assimilated, we out down the Borg and we try to find out what they wanted."

"Sounds like a simple enough plan," Garrus put in.

"Sounds like a duck shoot," Wrex out in sourly. "Most Borg don't shoot back, if your files are accurate."

"The Borg are smart," Shepard reminded everyone. "They might well be working on ways to adapt to our offensive capabilities, and that might include personal weapons, or projectile shields. Since the Citadel has that technology, the Borg probably have it too by now.."

"Considered that sir," Lieutenant Zorah put in. She drew out a phaser from her belt mounted buffer. "I've modified the phasers to rotate modulations. Will probably get us about twenty shots between us before they become useless."

"Multiple choices are always good," Garrus commented.

"Agreed," Shepard said. "Good work Lieutenant."

"Thank you sir," Zorah said, definitely sounding sheepish.

"Ok people, transporter pad," Shepard ordered, stepping up to the pad.

The team took up positions, Shepard and Vas Normandy at the front, with Garrus and Wrex behind.

'You're materialising behind a ridge fifty metres from the campsite," the transporter operator told them. "From there, it should be relatively clean sailing."

"Acknowledged," Shepard said. "Energise."

With a nod, the transporter operator entered the command and the away team was beamed away.

* * *

The minute the team had all fully materialised on the arid surface of Therum, Shepard gestured for them to follow him. He raised his rifle in front of him, keeping a sharp lookout for Borg, but the area was barren and lifeless. He headed up to the top of the nearest hill, and crouched at the top, looking over the landscape ahead.

There was a Federation style outpost over a tunnel entrance: two big, stocky pre-fab buildings with a gantry between. There were various Borg drones wandering around, apparently engaged in a task involving a large device being assembled in the centre of the outpost,

"I clock fourteen, but only five of them are fully armoured and augmented," Garrus put in from Shepard's left. "How about you?"

"Same," Shepard replied. "Dunno what they're doing, though."

"Looks like a transmitter," Zorah commented. "Pretty heavy duty too, from the look of it."

"Options?" Shepard asked.

"From your files on the Borg, they ignore you if they don't consider you a threat," Garrus opined. "That means we could sneak past while they're not looking."

"I could overload the machine. The blast radius might kill a few," Zorah added. "And it would definitely disorient the rest - they might have machine components and augmentation but they're still people, and people can be hurt and confused."

"Just start shooting," Wrex said impatiently. "That'll get their attention. If they can't shoot back, what's the problem? We pick them off on approach."

Shepard considered the various possibilities. All of them had merit, but sneaking past only worked until you proved yourself a threat, and who knew what the Borg considered a threat? The second plan was technically complex, but valid, and might work well when combined with a round of fire.

"We'll combine those last two," he said after a moment. "Lieutenant Zorah, overload the transmitter thing on my signal. Once that's done, Wrex, Garrus and I will pour fire on the drones. Should take them all down."

"Aye sir," the three chorused. Wrex and Garrus took up their positions, as did Vas Normandy, who was furiously pressing buttons on a tricorder. Shepard kept an eye on the drones, waiting for a moment when the maximum number of them would be around the transmitter. And then...

"Now!" he hissed. Zorah entered a final command and after a long moment, the Borg transmitter exploded in a fireball. At least half the drones were caught by the explosion, mostly the incomplete assimilations. At that moment Shepard, Garrus and Wrex stood up and poured fire at the remaining Borg.

The five armoured Borg turned to face the Starfleet team as they fired - and green shields flared up as the projectiles hit them.

"Kinetic shields!" Garrus yelled. "They're adapting!"

Shepard blinked.

_"They've adapted." "We're shooting blanks." **WE ARE THE BORG**. "Shepard, remodulate!" **YOUR BIOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL DISTINCTIVENESS WILL BE ADDED TO OUR OWN. **"They've taken decks 26 up to 11." **RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.**_

"Keep firing," Wrex grunted, his gruff voice shaking Shepard out of his brief reverie. "They'll drop eventually!"

The five drones, as one, raised their augment arms and fired. Green disruptor bolts impacted around the Starfleet team as they took cover.

"Damn!" Shepard yelled. He cursed their misfortune - the Borg had definitely learned some lessons.

"Since when could Borg shoot?" Garrus asked.

"It's an adaptation they make sometimes," Shepard replied, remembering various lectures. "That's how they killed Nihlus on Eden Prime."

"Give me a minute," Zorah said, tapping away at her tricorder. A moment later the green shields on the drones fizzled into existence and - for want of a more accurate word - shattered.

"Now!" she yelled.

Shepard didn't wait to be told twice; he stood up and poured fire on the drones, three falling in moments. The last two fell to Garrus and Wrex's fire. After a moment, Shepard exhaled.

"Alright people," he said. "Let's go see what else there is waiting for us down here."

* * *

They reached the campsite a moment later. It was, as expected, deserted - there had been no prisoners awaiting assimilation, it seemed, only those who had already been assimilated. Not that Shepard had expected there to be any survivors.

When the team had finished their sweep of the buildings a few minutes later, Shepard motioned for them to head to the large circular door to the excavation tunnels. There was no fancy tech way to open the old-fashioned door, but Garrus seemed oddly confident about getting them down "my way".

"That was good work you did back there, Lieutenant Zorah," he commented to the chief engineer as they waited for Garrus to do it "his way" - which was apparently a bunch of explosive charges.

"Call me Tali," she said quickly. "And it was nothing really, I just had to write a quick invasive program that disabled their kinetic shielding and..."

Shepard held up a hand to forestall any further babbling, smiling as he did so.

"It was good work, Tali," he repeated, emphasising the name. "Keep that up and you'll have the Borg whipped in no time."

"Yes sir," Tali said quietly. "Thank you sir."

"Charges set!" Garrus called out, and the team fell back to safe cover. A moment later, three charges Garrus had set at the hinges of the door exploded. There was a creak, and the door fell forward, flattening a few Borg corpses and boxes.

"Your way?" Shepard asked wryly. Garrus coughed sheepishly, and Shepard, sighing, led the team through the door.

The Prothean ruins were deserted. There was no sign of any Borg activity at all. Nonetheless, Shepard felt uneasy about the entire thing: there was something not quite right about this situation, something that nagged on the edge of his perception.

"Elevator ahead," Tali said, pointing to an archeological pre-fab elevator probably installed when the archeologists first arrived.

"Plan?" Garrus asked. Shepard shrugged.

"Going down," he said.

* * *

Liara T'Soni did not hate easily. She had a cool indifference for her mother, whom she had not seen in years. She had no ill-feeling toward her father, wherever she was. However, she now felt certain that she could say, irrefutably, that she hated the Borg, hated them with a burning passion.

For two days she had been at the bottom of this damn Prothean dig site, suspended in mid air. The energy bubble doing so - a Prothean barrier device - was all that was keeping the Borg drone standing guard outside from coming in here and assimilating her like it had so many friends and colleagues.

That wasn't why she hated the Borg though. She hated the Borg because the drone was T'Sal, her skin pallid and grey, black veins spread across the surface like some parasitic invasion. A spider-bloom implant had erupted on her cheek, dark metal on the skin. Her eyes, lifeless and unblinking, stared at Liara through the energy shield. She didn't speak, nor did she respond to anything Liara said.

T'Sal had been Liara's friend, and now here she was, her body stolen from her, taken and used against Liara like some kind of macabre puppet. It disgusted Liara more than she had thought anything in this universe could.

Suddenly, there was a loud clanking noise from the levels above. Liara looked up, wondering what could be causing it. T'Sal - the drone - turned around, facing the elevator as it descended, which filled Liara with an irrational hope - other drones had come down here and T'Sal had not so much as blinked. Maybe this elevator had something she wasn't expecting.

A moment later, blood sprayed from T'Sal's chest as a gunshot rang out.

Liara blinked, staring at her now dead friend, and the horror of the entire experience crashed down on her in one swoop.

She screamed.

* * *

Shepard had been prepared to face many things at the bottom of the elevator shaft - Borg drones, tactical drones, the Borg Queen - but had never expected to find a screaming asari suspended in an energy bubble.

"What the hell?" he said loudly, holding his hands up to placate her. "Ma'am? Ma'am calm down!"

The asari, after another couple of minutes of hysterical screaming, finally did so, her screams subsiding to quiet sobs.

"I'm... I'm sorry," she said through the tears, trying to get ahold of herself. "It's just... that Borg - that person - was my friend."

"I understand ma'am," Shepard told her. Little did she know just how much he understood. "We'll get you out of here as soon as we can."

"Thank you," the asari said softly. "My name is Liara T'Soni. I'm an archeologist."

"Captain Shepard, Federation Starship _Normandy_," Shepard replied. "We're here to rescue you and find out what the Borg were doing here."

"I couldn't tell you why they were here," Liara replied. "A group of them landed and started assimilating people before we could figure out what was going on. I used this Prothean barrier curtain to keep them away but..."

Tali tapped Shepard in the arm. She had been focusing on her tricorder.

"The barrier is essentially a large kinetic shield," she said. "I think we can beam her out of there with a pattern enhancer."

"That stuff's heavy duty," Shepard said. "I'd like an alternative to bringing more people down on a world with confirmed Borg activity."

Tali nodded, almost absent mindedly. She scanned for a moment, and then pointed at the edges of the field.

"If I fire a precise phaser beam, I can short out the field," she said, pulling a phaser out of her transporter buffer. "It'll take a minute though."

There was a clang. Shepard turned on his heel, TR-116 raised and torch on, shining into the dark cavern. Darkness was the Borg's friend.

"We counted fourteen Borg," he threw over his shoulder to T'Soni. "Five armoured, nine recently assimilated, plus your friend here," he added with a glance at T'Sal's corpse. "We're there more?"

"There were at least ten armoured ones," Liara replied, sounding more than a little worried. "Maybe more. And we had a team of twenty down here."

"Shit!" Shepard swore, now desperately searching the darkness for targets. He dropped to his knees, steadying his aim. "Wrex, Garrus, covering positions. Tali, start burning through that damn field, we'll cover you!"

Wrex and Garrus, to their credit, took up firing positions quickly. Tali aimed her phaser and started firing immediately.

And then they came. First one red light darted through the darkness, then two. A third. A fourth. A sickly green light switched on, and in that murky light Shepard could see the shape of hastily adapted medical beds transformed into assimilation surgeries, similar to ones he had seen on _Enterprise_ while clearing away corpses. Except that these had Borg - lots of them. Various Borg were in states of half completion, but they were all deadly enough as they were.

And then, as one, they started walking towards Shepard and his team.

He was almost flashing back to his time on _Enterprise_, Borg advancing on him in darkness, trying desperately not to think about the fact that he was only a few steps away from becoming like they were, trying not to think about all the _friends he'd had to kill in the darkness because they were infected or missing an arm and having it replaced with a black claw and dark armour black as pitch and recalibrating phaser and remodulating and trying not to panic, __**breathe**__ Shepard, __**breathe**__ Shepard, __**breathe breathe breathe...**_

"Target the heavier armoured ones first," Shepard said, his voice sounding oddly calm even as his mind started having something resembling a nervous breakdown. "Vega, keep recalibrating: they'll adapt any second. Fire! Hold them off and regroup on deck ten...!"

Garrus and Wrex opened fire on the Borg, ignoring that Shepard didn't seem to be talking to them. He had become a machine, firing on one drone until the adapted kinetic shields fell and then another, his body working on autopilot while his mind replayed the events of years ago in front of his eyes.

Shepard couldn't even see the Borg drones he was shooting. Hs mind was flashing with images brought on by hyper-stress and fear and adrenaline.

_Borg... **Reapers**... Assimilation... **Indoctrination**... Cycle... **Destruction**... Assimilation... **Conduit**..._

"Shepard!"

He blinked.

"_Captain_!"

He was holding an empty TR-116, having neglected to reload - or forgotten that he wasn't holding a compression rifle. Garrus had a hand on his shoulder, and was staring at the Captain with something resembling worry on his face. Shepard blinked again, taking in the situation. He stood up slowly, looking around the cavern. Tali had gotten Dr T'Soni down, and looked like she was trying to look busy, studiously avoiding looking in the Captain's direction. Wrex was checking the dead Borg - he shot a downed drone with his shotgun as Shepard watched. There were at least five Borg corpses directly in front of Shepard, although he didn't remember shooting them - or anything.

"Report?" Shepard croaked, his voice hoarse. Had he been shouting too?

"You downed a few Borg, we downed some too," Garrus said softly, not in ting out that the Captain had technically not been shooting the same Borg his body had. "You... you kept firing into the darkness. I think you were seeing something else, Captain."

"Old memories," Shepard said, trying to steady himself. He felt oddly weak at the knees, like he had let something out. "And... something else. Something to do with the Prothean Beacon."

"A Prothean Beacon?" The voice of Dr T'Soni cut through his thoughts. "What about it?"

"Explain on the ship," Shepard said. "Tali, can we beam out of here?"

"Yes sir," Tali replied, sounding oddly subdued.

"Good," Shepard said, never being more relieved in is life. He tapped his combadge. "Shepard to Normandy. Five to beam back."

They dematerialised in a halo of blue light.

Shepard only hoped he'd left some of his ghosts down here with the dead Borg...


	11. Debriefing Liara

**Chapter Ten: Debriefing Liara.**

The officer's conference lounge of an _Ambassador_ class starship was not the large, luxurious affair of a _Sovereign_ class, but to Captain John Shepard, it was more than enough. It had chairs, a table, and a computer display - all the luxury Shepard needed.

He hadn't spoken to anyone about his... incident on Therum, not since they had transported up. The _Normandy_ had launched without a counsellor aboard and Shepard had never seen for to make use of a ship's counsellor anyway. He had always dealt with his own problems, never burdening others with his regrets and feelings.

Besides, he wasn't entirely certain if the flashbacks he had experienced were entirely brought on by just the memories and stress he had experienced. He had a sneaking suspicion that the Prothean Beacon - and whatever information it had tried to impart to him - was at least partially responsible: he might have seen some unpleasant things but he had never seen slaughter on the scale he remembered.

He sat at the head of the blocky rectangular conference table. To his immediate left sat Pressly, with Ashley, Tali and Wrex along that side. On the other side sat Kaidan, with Joker, Garrus and Chakwas further down the table. Liara sat at the opposite head of the table, frowning across at him.

"Alright," he said softly, beginning the mission debriefing. "Dr T'Soni, I'd like to begin by officially welcoming you aboard the USS _Normandy_. I realise this entire incident must have been very disturbing for you..."

"Not quite the word I would use," she cut him off, a pain Shepard was all too familiar with in her eyes. "Do you know why they were there?"

"We believe the Borg are after something related to the Protheans," Shepard replied, ignoring the breach in protocol. "You're a Prothean expert."

"Correction," Liara said tersely. "I'm an expert on the Prothean's destruction."

"There's a difference?" Wrex put in, clearly slightly disdainful of the archeologist.

"Of course there is. There is in fact a clear distinction," Liara said sharply. "One is studying their way of life - what they did in their time, how they lived. One is studying their demise, and how they met it, and what caused it. I studied the latter, by studying what we knew of the former. There... isn't much to go on," she finished softly.

"Do you have any knowledge that would give the Borg a tactical advantage?" Shepard asked her.

"Nothing of value," Liara replied. "I know the Protheans were destroyed, but I don't know what by."

"The Reapers," Shepard said, unthinkingly. He blinked, as the entire senior crew looked at him. It took him a moment to register that he'd even spoke. "Did I say...?"

"What are Reapers?" Liara said, staring intently at Shepard, her tone veering between half curiosity and half scepticism.

"The great enemy," Shepard replied without thinking, frowning at the woman's ignorance. "How can you not know...?"

He shook his head. Chakwas was looking at him with a frown on her face.

"Captain, are you alright?" she asked, sounding concerned.

"I... this happened on the planet," he said. "Memories... forced their way through my perception. I remembered things that never happened."

"What brought these memories on?" Liara asked softly. Shepard blinked, trying to recall, and then it hit him.

"Exposure to a Prothean Beacon," he finally replied, realising the connection. "On Eden Prime."

"A Prothean Beacon?" Liara repeated, eyes wide with an odd admiration. "But... but... that's incredible! For you to make any sense of it... that's all but impossible, it's never happened!"

"Well, Starfleet's mission is the impossible," Shepard murmured, slightly uncomfortable with the sudden expression in Liara's face. "And I can't really 'make sense' of it, it's more like its there and it pops up occasionally. It kind of... resonates with other memories."

"Explains what happened on Therum," Garrus said softly.

"Seems like it," Shepard said, nodding.

"Captain," Liara said, hesitantly, "there may be a way for me to help you make sense of the information."

"How?" Shepard asked.

"Are you familiar with the Vulcan Mind Meld?" Liara asked in return, leaning forward slightly.

"I am," he replied.

"Asari can perform a similar meld," the young woman explained, shifting in her seat slightly - clearly it was a slightly uncomfortable topic for her. "It would allow me to assist you in making sense of the Beacon's visions."

Shepard leant back in his chair, contemplating the idea.

"Opinions?" he asked the table.

"I would prefer it if you performed this procedure in sickbay," Chakwas put in. "Otherwise, I have no objection."

"Anything that gives us an advantage," Ashley put in.

"Agreed," Pressly said shortly. The rest of the crew nodded in turn, all murmuring their assent.

Shepard looked to Liara, who seemed resolute - if nervous.

"Vulcans usually require time to prepare," he said. "Is it the same with asari?"

"Not strictly, but..." Liara began, then she swallowed. "Some time would be appreciated. It has been a trying few days."

"Very well then," Shepard said with a nod. "We'll leave it 'til tomorrow, say 0930. Any other ship's business?" No one said anything, and Shepard nodded. "Very well. Dismissed!"

* * *

In his ready room a few minutes later, Shepard stared out of his observation port, trying desperately not to think about what had happened down on Therum. He failed, the thoughts of his... whatever had happened, straining against his mind. He sighed, sat down, and buried his face in his hands, his mind riven by echoes from the battle for the Enterprise, screams and shouts and yells of agony in corridors, an experience he would never, could never, forget. The horror of it, he was sure, would stay with him forever.

When his door beeped, he almost didn't answer it, but then he shook the thought away. He was still the damn Captain, and he had a duty to be here if the crew needed him.

"Enter," he called. To his surprise, Lieutenant Vas Normandy - Tali, he remembered - entered.

"Sir," she said nervously. "I hope this is not a bad time."

"Not at all, Lieutenant," he said, trying to smile. "What can I do for you?"

In response, she handed him a PADD. He looked it over for a couple of minutes, eyes wide in shock.

"Workable plans for a TR-116 pistol variant?" he spluttered at last, surprised as all hell - he had, after all, only been joking when he told her to work on it. "We've been back on the ship less than thirty minutes, ten of which were spent debriefing!"

"If - if you don't like the design sir, I can make modifications," Tali said, her voice small.

"If I don't like it?" Shepard repeated, a grin on his face. "Lieutenant, this is stellar work. Finalise this design and get it to the quartermaster posthaste."

"Aye sir," she acknowledged, nodding, sounding much happier. She turned to go.

"Actually, Lieutenant," Shepard said suddenly, and she turned back to him. "We never did get the chance for that one to one conversation, did we?"

"Er, no sir," Tali said, slightly awkwardly. "I guess we didn't."

Shepard gestured for her to sit in the chair opposite him. She did so, suddenly fidgeting a lot. Shepard picked up her personnel file from his desk - left over from when he had been looking over the senior staff - and summarised.

"Full name Tali'Zorah Vas Normandy - formerly Tali'Zorah Nar Rayya but changed in accordance with cultural principals shortly after your assignment here. You applied to the academy in 2373, got in, assigned immediately post graduation to USS _Normandy_ as chief engineer," he said, smiling. "Short but sweet?"

"I beg your pardon sir?" Tali said squeakily.

"Your career thus far," Shepard clarified. "It's been short, but fairly prosperous for you so far."

"Yes sir," Tall said with a quick nod.

"If you don't mind my asking," Shepard said, leaning back, "why are you here?"

"Sir?" Tali asked, confused.

"Why did you join the fleet?" Shepard clarified. "Of all the many myriad things you could have done with your pilgrimage, you decide to come to Starfleet - it seems a curious decision."

Tali fidgeted slightly, looking around the room as if waiting for an answer, and then she sighed.

"Honestly sir?" she said. "The ships."

"The ships," Shepard repeated, trying his best not to sound surprised and/or dubious.

"They're marvels of engineering," Tali said, nodding enthusiastically. "I mean, they're elegant, proud, functional, beautiful interface panels, pristine hulls, _Ambassadors_ have that swan neck shape, then there's the warp drives which are phenomenal..."

"Ships your big thing, then?" Shepard asked, cutting her off slightly, a smile on his face.

"Comes with being quarian," Tali said with a shrug. "If I wasn't interested in ships, I'd be pretty damn screwed over living on a flotilla."

"True," Shepard said with a nod.

"I also admire Starfleet," Tali added, standing up and looking around. She pulled the combadge off of her suit, and looked at it. "This... your Federation... you sent a fleet into space not to conquer, but just to see it."

"'To boldly go'," Shepard quoted. Tali looked at him, the badge still in her hand.

"Yes," she said. "Where none have gone before."

"How do other quarians think of Starfleet, then?" Shepard asked. "There've been a few of you in the fleet over the years."

"There have been exactly one hundred and fifty from a population of seventeen million since the first quarian joined fifteen years ago," Tali said, recounting what to her was a matter of historical education. "The first was Kal'Reegar, one of our marines." Tali paused, and then laughed as if at some fond memory. "He often says to his men that serving on the USS _Excalibur_ was among his proudest achievements. The rest are also complementary, although some think you're too trusting and naive, especially for Citadel space."

"A common view," Shepard said with a smile. "I prefer being naive to being cynical."

"Me too," Tali said. There was a pause. "My people - some of them - have considered petitioning the Federation for membership, for a world."

"They should," Shepard said. "I'm sure the Federation would love to have them. In fact, I'm fairly certain there are scientists who would kill to have the chance to restore your immune systems."

"There are a few people who resist," Tali said, looking uncomfortable. She looked down at the badge. "They... they look at things like Holodecks, and Commander Data on Enterprise, as proof that you're too lax with artificial intelligence."

"Which would be an issue for a people driven from their home by AI," Shepard concluded with an understanding nod.

"Exactly," Tali said. She looked up at him. "How do you know so much about the quarians, anyway?"

"Required reading plus some extra research," Shepard said nonchalantly. "You don't take the position of XO on a starship heading to Citadel space without knowing something about the inhabitants, especially when one of them is on board."

Tali laughed softly.

"I suppose that's fair," she said. She affixed the combadge to her suit again. "Sorry to take up so much of your time, Captain."

"Any time, Lieutenant," Shepard replied with a smile. "My door is open."

"Thank you sir, I'll remember that," Tali said, and then she left, the door hissing shut softly behind her. Shepard leant back, and sighed.

Command, truth to be told, wasn't quite what he had been expecting. He had once heard a great truism that "being a Captain is like being yourself", and it was true: ultimately, he hadn't changed at all. Only the expectations thrust upon him had changed, and that came with any promotion.

He was interrupted by a beep from his combadge. Sighing, he tapped it.

"Shepard here," he said.

"_Captain, we've picked up a Code 47 distress call coming from the planet Feros_," Alenko reported, causing Shepard to sit up. There was ultra hi-priority, and then there was Code 47. But a distress call? Wide band?

"Patch it through," he said, bringing up his computer. "Authorisation Shepard, three seven beta epsilon."

A moment later on the screen, the UFP symbol popped up, and then the tired, haggard face of a man appeared.

"_To any Starfleet ships in the area_," the man said, in a rough British accent, "_this is Lieutenant William Reed of Starfleet Intelligence. I am on a covert op on Feros retrieving data critical to our recent engagements with the Borg, but the Borg have landed in force and the data retrieval is threatened. Requesting immediate assistance and evac ASA_P."

The message fizzled out, leaving the UFP symbol in its place. A moment later, there was a bleep - confirmation that any records of the message had been deleted from computer records.

Shepard blinked, frowning at the now empty screen. Eyes only message from a Starfleet Intel commando about important data? It felt off somehow, though Shepard couldn't figure out how exactly. Still, he couldn't ignore the based on a gut feeling.

"Mr Alenko, are there any other starships in the area of Feros?" he asked, unwilling to risk his crew on more engagements with the Borg if he could help it.

"_A few sir, but nothing as capable as the _Normandy," Alenko replied.

"Damn," Shepard swore. He didn't want to go, but he saw no alternative. "Tell Joker to set a course, maximum warp and quickest relay."

"_Aye sir,_" Alenko said. A moment later, he spoke. "_Joker says three hours, sir."_

"Good. Keep me posted, Shepard out," the Captain said, signing off the comm system.

Shepard wasn't in the least bit fond of this situation. He pulled up a library computer record on Feros: a planet covered in Prothean ruins that were constantly being studied, most recently by a Starfleet science team but in the last couple of years... also by a Dr Liara T'Soni and Professor T'Sal. Shepard grinned. Some good luck then, at least. As well as that, there was a small colony being built up.

"Ok," he said to himself, reviewing the data. "Small colony, urban area. Probable influx of Borg targets, little room to manoeuvre."

He frowned. He hated how it was sounding out loud: all too similar to the Borg infestation on _Enterprise_, and with his previous lapse, he had no desire to repeat the experience. Still, that just meant he needed a bigger team.

A few minutes later, Liara T'Soni walked into the ready room, summoned by the Captain. He regarded her with a grim set expression.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" she asked, breaking the tension.

"I did," Shepard said, and then launched into his reasons. "We're going to Feros on an important mission. My understanding is that you went there, with Professor T'Sal, a few years ago. I don't want to be too detailed about a sensitive Starfleet issue but we need your assistance." He paused before saying the next thing on his mind. "The Borg are involved."

Liara blinked, as though considering what she was being told.

"I'll help any way I can," she said, the vehemence in her voice surprising even her.

"You're certain?" Shepard asked.

"Those metal bastards deserve to pay for what they did on Therum," Liara said viciously, "and its my intention to see that they do."

"Very well," Shepard said, not entirely pleased with having yet another person who was so... angry at the Borg on the team. "I can't condone you being on that planet as anything but a Starfleet officer, so I'll enter into the record that you were commissioned as a scientific observer. No rank, no duties, but it gives you the right to be on the mission."

"I understand," she said, seemingly indifferent to the news.

"Report to the quartermaster and log some hours with Federation issue weapons and a Hazard Suit," Shepard ordered. "You've got two and a half hours."

Liara nodded tersely and, sensing the Captain had nothing further to say to her, she turned and left the ready room.

Shepard sighed, and started planning his landing.


	12. Tunnels of Feros

**Chapter Eleven: Tunnels of Feros.**

The _Normandy_ reached Feros perfectly on schedule. To Shepard's surprise, there was not a Borg cube present in orbit, merely a smaller scout vessel, a sphere. Not necessarily no threat at all, but certainly not a Cube - although the debris of a Starship in orbit was proof that it had teeth of its own.

"This we can deal with," he said softly to himself, and then he turned to the tactical station. "Williams, tactical analysis."

"The debris belongs to a _Miranda_ class survey ship assigned to Citadel space to run routine surveys," Ashely replied heavily, looking at her on sole with a downcast expression. "USS _Apollo_. She never stood a chance, sir. I don't even see any weapon residue matching Starfleet signatures."

More losses to make the Borg pay for. The _Apollo_ probably responded to the initial distress call from Feros, not the Code 47. Still, Shepard took it as an ill omen.

"Target the sphere, full spread of torpedoes, bring her down," he ordered, bringing his attention to the screen.

Williams executed the command immediately, the volley of red torpedoes sailing towards the Borg sphere almost gracefully. Shepard was immensely satisfied when, a moment later, the Borg sphere exploded in a red and green flash, green gases expanding outward.

"That takes care of the space presence," Alenko commented from Ops. "Just leaves the Borg on the ground."

"Don't remind me, Lieutenant," Shepard said with a smile. He felt oddly cheered by the sight of a Borg vessel burning, but it was only a minor victory - more would be needed in order to end this incursion. Much more, blood and sweat and other sacrifices. And so he headed off, determination in his face and stride, to provide more.

* * *

In the transporter room, Shepard's selected team was waiting. In addition to Liara, who looked extremely uncomfortable with the Hazard Suit she wore, he had picked Williams, Wrex and Garrus, as well as Tali to do any tech miracles that might be required. Apart from those already in armour, they were all in Hazard Suits, all holding TR-116's (save Wrex, who held his shotgun, and Tal, who held a Type-2 phaser). The team was awaiting his instructions, and he sighed, not liking what he had to give them.

"Ok, team, here's the score," he said, catching their attention as he entered the room.

"There's a Starfleet Intel operative down there who needs extraction and unfortunately we're the best ship in range. Unless my intel is appalling," and here he threw a look at Liara to confirm what he said, "it's all dark, confining tunnels and Borg down there."

"I... can't speak for the Borg," Liara said slowly, apparently missing the joke. She looked at the expectant faces of the team nervously, clearly uncomfortable with what was being asked of her. "But the area we are transporting into mainly consists of confining tunnels and corridors."

"Yay," Williams out in, a quirky, bitter half smile on her face.

"With their kinetic barrier upgrades, the Borg have something that can hold back the projectiles from the TR-116," Shepard continued, ignoring the interjection. "But with Tali's upgraded phaser weaponry we have an estimated... fourteen?"

"Twenty," Tali corrected absently, engrossed in her tricorder.

"Twenty shots between us that the kinetic shields won't stop," Shepard finished, nodding. "Don't waste them."

He paced slightly, looking each of them in the eye. He felt the need to try and emphasise just how risky the situation they were entering was.

"I've fought Borg up close," he said, frowning at each of them in turn. "They're faster than you think, and stronger, and they sneak up on you as well. Don't let them near you, don't let them touch you." He stopped, uncertain about the next thing, but then he spoke. "And if one of the team gets assimilated, shoot them. I expect the same for me. Better dead than Borg."

"Agreed," the timid voice of Liara T'Soni spoke up.

"Agreed," Williams added.

One by one, the whole team echoed his sentiment. He smiled softly, and the team began moving onto the transporter pad. Shepard caught Liara before she did so.

"This obviously interrupted whatever prep you were doing for your meld," he said softly.

"Yes," Liara replied, "but the preparation was only a luxury, not a necessity. If you prefer, we can complete the meld upon our return."

"Agreed," Shepard nodded. "This situation only emphasises how short of time we are."

He gestured that they should take their places on the pad, and Liara nodded, moving to her assigned location.

"We're beaming in close to the colony," Tali said to the team. "I've got the co-ordinates."

"Energise," Shepard ordered the transporter operator.

* * *

It was dark in the tunnel they'd beamed into, just as Shepard had feared. His torch barely illuminated the area directly in front of him, showing hints of cracked concrete walls and loose cabling. The rest of the team followed his lead, and he made sure to keep his weapon low.

"Remember, they don't attack unless threatened or unless you're their objective," Shepard threw back at them, hoping to avoid provoking the Borg in what was essentially their territory. "Make no aggressive moves unless left with no alternative."

A chorus of affirmatives reached him, and he breathed a soft sigh of relief. They weren't quite the security team he'd ask for nor,ally. But they were just as efficient as one.

Slowly, the team advanced through the darkness. Liara seemed the jumpiest of them all - she had put the TR-116 in her belt mounted buffer and had taken out a type-2 phaser, clearly something she felt a little more comfortable with than a bulky rifle. Wrex seemed the least ill-at-ease in this place, holding his shotgun at ease and walking without the furtive glances into the shadows the others kept throwing. Tali seemed focused - very focused - on her tricorder, which at least prevented her from seeming too nervous at their surroundings.

"This is too quiet," Garrus hissed into the darkness, TR-116 held tightly in his hands. "Where are they all?"

"You _want_ Borg to show up?" Williams said, equally nervous.

"I _want_ there to be _something_ to shoot at instead of this oppressive atmosphere," Garrus replied testily. "Borg, Thresher Maw, army of deranged varren..."

"Be careful what you wish for," Tali said grimly from ahead. She motioned for them to take cover.

At the end of the passageway was a t-junction. And at the t-junction stood a Borg, working on what looked like a Starfleet console, albeit one augmented by blocky black Borg tech and seemingly altered to a Borg LCARS display.

"Sir? Options?" Garrus asked, now sounding more nervous.

Shepard stood up, aiming carefully with his TR-116 - but to his surprise, Tali stood up and pushed the barrel down.

"They'll ignore us until we hamper them, and shooting one in the head counts as hampering," she said sternly. "Sir," she added for good measure, suddenly aware that she'd just spoken to the Captain.

The others looked at Shepard, waiting for him to make some kind of decision.

"She's right," he said finally, lowering the rifle. "And there's probably more of them ahead, they'd be alerted if we shot it. We'll sneak past the drone."

"Sneaking around Borg isn't exactly how I wanted to play this," Wrex put in.

"Stow it, Lieutenant," Shepard said sharply. "I'm the Captain follow my lead."

"Yes sir," Wrex said, though no one missed the slight sarcasm.

Shepard gestured for people to start moving. First, Tali, who knew the way, crept past the drone, focusing on her tricorder the whole time and trying to look unthreatening (or just to nervous to look otherwise, Shepard couldn't tell). Shepard crept past the drone next, looking at it uncomfortably. It ignored him.

Ashley threw a venomous look at the Borg as she passed it, as if for all the world she could glare it to death. It ignored her too.

Wrex didn't even sneak, he walked past the Borg, almost bumping into it. Shepard threw him a look when he reached the rest of the squad, and he shrugged.

Liara passed the creature, murmuring quietly to herself all the while. She almost ran once she had gotten past it, but managed to control her fear.

"What were you murmuring?" Tali asked. Liara shook the question off.

Garrus was the last to come, moving quickly and efficiently. He seemed rattled, but was holding it in.

The Borg threw the collection of Starfleet officers a cursory glance, the red laser light aiming at them. Shepard tensed, waiting for it to attack - and then it turned back to it's work, seemingly uninterested. The Captain sighed with relief.

"Ok, now where?" he asked. Tali motioned with her hand for them to follow her, further down the tunnels.

* * *

At the end of the tunnel system, there was a ramp, leading up to a long hallway - the other side of the hallway was blocked off by rubble, but there was another ramp, leading up to a gantry that appeared to cross over the rubble. Borg were in this hallway, some on the gantry, and some down in the main part of the hallway too. They were moving about, studying yet more Starfleet style consoles.

Most importantly of all, by Shepard's estimation, at the end of the hall came the distinct sound of phaser fire.

"The Starfleet Intel operative?" Garrus asked.

"Sounds like it," Shepard said with a nod.

"What's the plan?" Ashley asked, her fingers tense on her rifle. Shepard grinned.

"Ok," he said loudly. "Weapons free ladies and gents, time to be a threat!"

He swung his TR-116, aimed at the nearest Borg, and fired. It's head exploded - clearly it had not activated its shields.

"Finally, some action!" Wrex yelled, racking his shotgun. His shots took out another drone. Another moved towards Ashley, only to be enveloped in a blue haze - and then lifted of the ground. Ashley was unsure if she had to shoot at it, but wasn't given the choice - the drone smashed into the nearest wall at high velocity, first once, then twice, then a third time. Liara - whose arm was held out, aiming at where it had been - lowered her arm and breathed out.

"_Damn_," she murmured. "That's a neat trick."

"You should see Asari Commandos," Liara replied. "They're even better."

Tali and Shepard moved up the gantry. A drone moved to intercept, kinetic shields blazing, but Tali shot it with her modified phaser and it exploded, the kinetic shield useless against Starfleet phaser tech.

A few more steps.

At the other side of the hall, down another ramp from the gantry, there was a man, stood in cover, firing down the hall at about five Borg with what looked like a bulky, heavily modified phaser rifle. The man was definitely Lieutenant Reed, but he wasn't in a Starfleet uniform. Instead, he wore a black outfit, dominated by a double breasted leather jacket fastened up to the neck, and a turtleneck collar underneath.

He ducked into cover as the Borg returned fire with their modified disruptor arms. Shepard lined up a shot with his TR-116, watching from the corner of his eye as Tali did the same, and then fired.

The first Borg went down in a shot. The second had a kinetic shield that held off the first shot, but a concentrated volley from Shepard and Tali took it down. The rest were picked off methodically by the phaser of Reed.

The Borg dealt with, at least for the moment, Tali and Shepard jogged down the ramp to the Lieutenant, who nodded as he saw the two approach.

"TR-116," he said, staring at the rifle. "Decent alternative to what I'm carrying."

"What are you carrying?" Tali said, staring at the unusual rifle in surprise and fascination.

"Infinity Modulator, or IMod," the man said, sounding tired. "Part of the tech _Voyager_ brought back when she relayed in a few months ago. You're wearing a Hazard Suit, so you know what kind of anti-Borg ingenuity that ship came up with, but this baby was a little more classified."

"Could have used that a few days ago," Shepard said with a smile.

"I'm sure you could have," Reed said, "but you know SI research division. Never let anything go without dissecting it first."

"True," Shepard said, and extended a hand. "Captain John Shepard, USS _Normandy_. This is my Chief Engineer, Tali'Zorah."

"Lieutenant Reed, SI," the man replied, shaking Shepard's hand with a firm, confident grip. "Take it you got the Code 47?"

"Yes," Shepard said, slipping into his "military business" mien. "We're here to extract you and the data."

"It's not that simple, I'm afraid," Reed said, almost apologetically. "You know about the Zhu's Hope colony?"

"Yes," Shepard replied. It was a small colony, somewhere nearby on Feros.

"I need to get there," Reed said, "and I need your team to come with me."

"What?" Tali put in. "By now they're all Borg!"

"On the contrary," Reed said with a grim smile. "They're not. And they can never be."

"What do you mean?" Shepard asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"The details are, necessarily, classified," Reed said, waving the question off. "We need to get at least a sample of colonist blood and get it to my rendezvous."

Shepard frowned at him.

"If I'm risking my crew to get this 'sample', I at least want to know more about it," he said simply. Lieutenant Reed frowned, and then nodded simply.

"I can understand that, Captain," he said amiably, looking at Shepard with respect in his eyes. "Alright then, I'll tell you some basics. There's a plant on this world. Sentient, old. Called the Thorian. Starfleet discovered that the spores from the Thorian affect people, make subtle alterations to their DNA. Among the alterations is an immunity to assimilation. The infecting plant-spores destroy the nanoprobe infection!"

Shepard exchanged glances with Tali.

"Plant spores that destroy nanoprobes?" he said disbelievingly.

"Yup," Reed said, a grin on his face. "Sounds too good to be true, but the results check out. We need to get there pretty sharpish - with the modifications made from these spores, humans could be as immune to assimilation as Species 8472!"

Shepard nodded, duty overriding his concerns - as well as the promise of another anti-Borg weapon.

"At the least, we should assist the colonists," he said. Reed nodded.

"Absolutely," he agreed - but there was something slightly off about his voice that made Shepard suspicious.

* * *

The team met Shepard on the other side of the hallway, where he introduced Lieutenant Reed to them. There were a few odd looks - especially at his outfit, which wasn't standard Starfleet gear at all - but no one said anything. The Lieutenant did waste any time once the group had rendezvoused; he pulled up a holographic display of the Zhu's Hope colony.

"Ok," he said, pointing out the layout, "there's a highway here we'll need to traverse. Shouldn't take more than twenty, maybe twenty five minutes to get across it. No idea what resistance we might receive on the way from the Borg - the fact that you took their damn ship out probably helped a lot, Captain."

"We'll assume there will be Borg to deal with," Shepard said grimly, and the team exchanged grim looks - even Wrex had seen enough Borg to last him a while. "But its fairly open terrain, not something the Hive is used to dealing with. We'll have a distinct advantage."

"From there," Reed continued chirpily, "there's an elevator down to where the vast majority of Zhu's Hope colonists live."

The team looked at each other, silently debating with themselves whether they actually liked this plan.

"Alright people," Shepard said, his voice becoming commanding, and everyone's attention was now focused on him, "we need to go save these colonists. It'll be tough, but I know we can do it."

The team looked more enthusiastic now, each of them filled with confidence from Shepard's words.

"Wrex, Garrus, you're on point," Shepard said, indicating a nearby exit. "Williams, cover our six. Reed, Tali, Liara, stay with me. Move out!"

And without further dallying, the Starfleet team moved out, heading for the highway.


	13. Desperate Measures of Men & Machines

**Chapter Twelve: Desperate Measures of Men and Machines.**

The highway was, in fact, longer than Reed had made it out to be. It was also fairly deserted, too, but that was beside the point. Liara was the only one who was even remotely happy about the place, but that was less because of the trudge and more because of the Prothean ruins she was getting the chance not only to look at again, but also talk about.

"This is a Prothean Skyway!" she was saying energetically to Tali, whose reaction (if any) to the babbling was, perhaps thankfully, hidden behind her mask. "It's part of the infrastructure of the city - the skyways connect each building to the others, allowing for unlimited travel through the entire city..."

And so Liara went on, gabbling about the Prothean's achievements here - their skyway, their history, their great empire that had apparently spanned the stars, etc...

It was a little wearing, perhaps, but Shepard could live with it, even if it was making his head ache again with the vague remembrances brought on by the Beacon. Every so often, he would look at the Prothean ruins and wonder why they weren't bustling with life as they should be - and then he would remember that these weren't his memories, these weren't his feelings, but those of some long dead Prothean.

He also really didn't like this long walk.

"We could just have the _Normandy_ beam us there directly," he pointed out to Reed, as the team walked on. "It would be much faster."

"Faster yes, smarter no," Reed replied with a smile. "We don't want to scare them, after all."

"Scare them?" Ashley commented dryly. "What are they, skittish little sheep?"

"Skittish little sheep who've been fighting Borg for days," Reed replied, giving her a glare, and then turning his attention back to the road. "We have no idea what we'll be facing when we get there."

"I know what we're facing now!" Wrex yelled, catching the team's attention. "Borg ahead!"

Shepard snapped his rifle up, taking aim almost instinctively. His Tactical Eye Display zoomed in, sowing that, just as Wrex had said, there were a large group of Borg ahead.

Disruptor shots started impacting around the team, and the Captain gestured for them to take cover.

Reed, however, ignored that command, opening fire with his IMod. First one, then a second Borg fell to the misty blue shots the weapon fired, but there was a lot of fire being thrown in Reed's direction.

"Reed, get down!" Shepard yelled. The commando ignored him, continuing to pour fire in the direction of the Borg with what looked like a remarkably cavalier attitude to his own safety.

Shepard shared a look with Ashley, then ordered the team to open fire with a yell.

* * *

Wrex brought his heavy boot down on the last Borg's head as it lay, struggling to stand up after the charge he'd made. The metal-augmented skull cracking beneath his weight made a suitably gruesome sound, and Shepard looked away for the sake of his lunch.

The team had fought their way right up to the doorway of the colony building, where they now rested for a moment, taking stock of the situation. Reed patted his IMod affectionately, a smile on his face.

"Can I have the specs for that?" Tali asked, indicating the IMod. She had apparently been impressed with its fire rate.

"Course," Reed replied casually, pressing a few commands into his tricorder. "There, uploaded to your tricorder. It should be an immense help to you, and it sounds like you'll be fighting the Borg a lot more."

"Think I prefer my shotgun," Wrex commented wryly.

"Well, your shotgun just became superfluous," Reed said with a sigh. He was scanning the building with his tricorder. "There should be no more Borg between us and the colonists."

"Good," Shepard said, checking his weapon. "Then we can get them out of there."

"I'm afraid," Reed said hesitantly, not looking at Shepard, "that it isn't that simple."

Shepard glared at him, not liking surprises, especially not now that they were committed to this course of action.

"Why not?" he asked, trying not to let his annoyance show.

"I mentioned that the Thorian?" Reed said, and then when Shepard nodded, he pressed on. "The Thorian is, as I said, sentient. The spores it sent out allow it something of a control over the colonists."

"'Something' of a control?" Shepard almost snarled. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Reed said, calmly, "that they do what it wants them to."

"You mean to say that Starfleet let civilians be exposed to a dangerous alien life form and controlled by it too?!" Ashley put in, sounding shocked. Shepard couldn't blame her: he was shocked too, and appalled.

"Why didn't Starfleet put a stop to it, pull those people out?" he demanded.

"The vast majority of Starfleet doesn't know." The blunt statement shocked Shepard, as did the sudden coldness in the man in front of him. Shepard had never met a Starfleet officer with such a disregard for the safety and well-being of the people of the Federation, and now that he had he wished he hadn't. "This mission is of vital importance. My branch of SI deemed that importance to be worth the possible risks to a few colonists."

"What makes it worth their lives?" Shepard demanded angrily.

"You of all people, Captain, should know that the Federation needs methods of counteracting Borg assimilation," Reed said, his voice all too calm - and unfortunately, all too reasonable - for Shepard's liking. "The control over the colonists is... a setback. Nothing more. We can help them, in any case." He held up his IMod, and smiled. "Set your weapons to heavy stun. Two, maybe three blasts should take them down. From there, we purge the Thorian, leaving the spores intact for further use."

"I don't like this," Ashley commented.

"Nor me," Tali said, her voice ice.

"You don't have to," Reed said, almost cheerily, ignoring their harshness. "All you have to do is your job. I have full support from Starfleet Command on this matter, you can back it up with Admiral Harper if you have to."

Shepard wrestled with himself for a long moment, but couldn't think of any way he could counter that kind of operational authority.

"I am indeed going to bring this up with Admiral Harper, believe me," he said finally. "If I find you've done anything out of line..."

"Everything I have done and will do is for the good of the Federation," Reed said, and there was a sincerity in his voice that almost - almost - made Shepard believe him.

"Right," he said. "This doesn't change the fact that we have a large group of colonists to save."

The rest of his team nodded, albeit reluctantly, and switched from their projectile weapons to their phasers.

"Remember to set your phasers to heavy stun," Shepard said, checking his own. The nods of affirmation were all he needed. Reed smiled, and went to the nearby control for the door. He looked at Shepard, who nodded tersely, and then entered the command. The door cranked open, very slowly...

And revealed a figure.

It was green-tinged and skeletal, with extended green-tinged claws instead of hands and black eyes. It looked at them, making unpleasant croaking and hissing noises.

"Captain," Ashley said, uneasily. She didn't know what to make of it.

"What are we looking at, Tali?" Shepard asked, forcing the revulsion from his voice.

The quarian engineer pulled out her tricorder and scanned the thing as it took a couple of shuffling steps forward. If she felt as revolted by the figure as the rest of them, it wasn't apparent.

"Looks like a basic copy of a human," she said after a moment, voice surprisingly even. "Like the creature took the structural information about human anatomy and used it to make a... well, a..."

"Drone?" Shepard asked, horribly reminded of the Borg.

"Basically," Tali concluded. "What you're looking at is nothing more than a plant feeler."

At that moment, the thing charged, heading straight at Shepard. Before it could reach him, however, its head exploded into a fine green mist. Wrex lowered his shotgun.

"Some plant feeler," he said.

"Damn!" Reed said. "That boomstick of yours is loud!"

"Not superfluous then?" he commented with a Krogan smile. Reed sighed.

"Can't take any chances," he said. "The colonists might be intermixed with these things. We have to use phasers."

"He's right," Shepard said grudgingly. "Stick with phasers unless absolutely necessary. These are Federation citizens, not hostiles."

"We don't know if phasers set to stun will affect these things," Ashley pointed out. Shepard considered the options, before coming to a decision.

"Ashley, on point, set your phaser to wide beam heavy stun," he ordered sharply. "That clears the human hostiles from a room. Reed, Garrus, follow in and pick off anyone who isn't stunned. Wrex, Tali and I will deal with the drones."

The team nodded, Reed somewhat reluctantly, and readied their weapons. Shepard waited a moment, then nodded with a small smile.

"Go," he said.

* * *

Once upon a time, the Borg once known as Saren Arterius had been his own man, with his own hopes, dreams, fears and ambitions. That of course was the past, and the present was now, but the unique thing about him was how he was able to examine the memories of his own life without interference and use them so effectively for maximum chaos. A chaos that he and his new allies/masters/species (depending on your viewpoint) would be only too happy to replace with a unifying order.

All around him in this massive ship, this pinnacle of the technological and the biological, they walked: drones, now invested with a single, unified purpose, a single driving goal that overrode any petty concerns about freedom and self determination. In a word, perfection.

Perfection was not without its problems though.

Resistance was one such problem.

The collective would never openly acknowledge that resistance - even the most stubborn resistance - was anything more than a minor nuisance, partially because... well, most resistance was only ever a minor nuisance, quickly quelled and nothing to worry about.

When the collective had realised that Starfleet - and the blasted Federation! - were involved in this current invasion, however, there had been some... judicious rearrangement of their plans. It had been "on the cards", so to speak, for the vessel Saren currently resided on to spearhead an invasion that would take all of the citadel, and then from there proceed to allow for the return of the rest of this vessel's cohorts, so that they could share in the wonder that Saren - and Sovereign - had found. With Starfleet involved, however, this plan became untenable, and so an alternative had to be devised, one that required more cunning and more guile - things the Borg normally didn't have, but that Saren Arterius had in abundance.

There was a gap, he realised, the sudden awareness of it dragging his mind away from his thoughts. It was irritating and infuriating - although these were just illusions of a slightly-more-individualistic cog. Feros had been attacked, and the Borg there lost contact with.

Acceptable losses, but the danger was that Starfleet would find the plant life form and through it learn what Saren had learned. This was not acceptable. Scanning the recent history of events, Saren determined that the Feros incident fitted into a pattern with another recent setback - the failure of drones dispatched to Therum to retrieve Liara T'Soni. Clearly someone - Starfleet - was working against the Borg.

No matter. Different plans would have to be made.

Another drone - this one barely augmented, her blue skin only slightly paler than the norm and no implants visible save a small one above her eyebrow - walked up to him, and he brought his attention back to his own physical presence, here on Sovereign in a small chamber with a regeneration alcove. Though he didn't need to speak instructions, some remnant of his former self still preferred to. No chance of miscommunication that way.

"Go to Noveria," he said sharply. "Retrieve the co-ordinates of the Mu Relay and relay them to us. From there we will initiate the attack."

Without a word, the drone - once known as Matriarch Benezia - left the chamber, leaving the man once known as Saren Arterius alone with his thoughts and the thoughts of a billion others.

* * *

As the last colonist dropped, stunned, and Wrex blasted the last creeper into oblivion, Shepard took a moment to take stock.

His team were - for the most part - uninjured, save for Reed having a graze on his temple. They had managed to fight their way through the complex without causing serious injury to any of the colonists, although it had been touch and go for a while, as the creepers had been surprisingly numerous.

'Creeper' was the term Tali had coined, rather haphazardly, while trying to get one off of her - the word had probably been meant to be "creep", but had come out wrong and, surprisingly, stuck. Fortunately, Shepard had managed to pick that particular creeper off before it caused a rupture to her suit, but he was reminded that being careful was doubly important with a quarian's physiology, it made him surprisingly concerned thinking about it.

"Right," Reed said, hoisting his IMod. Shepard shook his head, clearing those thoughts from his mind and focusing on the Starfleet officer he still wasn't entirely sure he trusted. "The Thorian is beneath the complex. There should be a console that opens the way down there..."

"Got it," Tali cut him off from the other side of he space, already inputting the 'open' command into the console. A doorway opened in the floor, near where Liara was standing.

"Fascinating!" she said, leaning to peer into the darkness of the tunnel. "Truly fascinating! I didn't realise just how multi-layered this architecture really was!"

"Please, in the name of mercy, spare us yet more about the bloody perfect Protheans," Reed snapped, and Liara looked almost genuinely upset. "We have a giant plant to neutralise."

Shepard strode over to the man, grabbed him, and rammed him into a wall.

"That's a member of my crew you're talking to, Lieutenant," he said, his voice dangerously calm. "Modify your tone."

Reed met Shepard's gaze far too easily.

"We have a job to do," he said, his own voice as cold and dangerous as the Captain's. "I suggest we go do it and part company."

"Fine by me," Shepard said, letting the odious man go. Without another word, Reed walked off, down into the tunnels.

"Thank you, Captain," Liara said after a moment, breaking the tension that filled the air. "I appreciate you standing up for me."

"You're welcome," Shepard said, to looking at the Asari. "Alright team, let's go."

Without another word, the little group of officers and enlisted descended into the depths of Feros.


	14. The Thorian

**Chapter Thirteen: The Thorian.**

The little group of Starfleet officers descended, first down one flight, then another, the tension increasing with every step. Only one of them knew what they would find down here, and he was being resolutely silent about the matter.

Shepard still didn't know what he was going to do about Reed, but he knew for certain that he couldn't just let the man leave. He knew something about what was essentially a rogue Starfleet operation - albeit one supposedly sanctioned - and Shepard couldn't let that pass. He had to know why the Fleet had allowed this.

"It should be ahead," Reed's voice broke the silence.

"How are we playing this?" Shepard asked the man quietly. He didn't like the idea of taking orders from a subordinate officer - especially one he didn't trust - but he was willing to compromise, since Reed knew more about the Thorian than he did.

"I'll follow your lead on that," Reed replied, surprising Shepard.

"Ok then," Shepard replied. He turned to his team and gestured to Ashley and Garrus. "You two stay here, make sure nothing gets up there or down here after us. We don't know if there are other colonists still around."

"Aye sir," Garrus said with a nod. Ashley nodded too.

"The rest of you are with me," Shepard continued, and he led the way down the remaining flight of stairs, bringing his phaser compression rifle to bear. He quickened his pace, wanting to get this over with quickly. Behind him, Tali had her tricorder out again.

"Reading a massive life form dead ahead," she reported. "Like nothing on record."

"That'll be the Thorian," Reed said with a hard-edged smile.

"Nobody fire until I give the word," Shepard ordered. "We're Starfleet, not murderers. If this thing is intelligent it deserves a chance."

Reed gave Shepard a look, but said nothing - not that anything he said would have made the slightest bit of difference to the Captain, except maybe to do the opposite.

The little team reached the bottom of the stairs - nearby was a short passageway leading to a wide open space. Tali jerked her head in that direction and Shepard nodded, leading the way through the passageway.

What they saw on the other side beggared belief.

"_Keelah_," Tali cursed, the silver dots that were all you could see of her eyes pointing directly upwards at the thing.

"By the Goddess..." Liara murmured softly, her eyes wide in shock and horror.

"Well," Reed said, paling considerably. "That's... it's..."

"It's green," Wrex opined bluntly.

Shepard had to say, he hadn't been expecting something quite that... unpleasant looking. It was large and sort of fleshy, with what could only be called tentacles reaching up into the surrounding infrastructure, anchoring it above a precipice.

"Our phasers will take forever to vaporise that kind of mass," Reed muttered to Shepard.

"Who said anything about vaporising it?" Shepard replied. "You said it was intelligent, and we aren't murderers."

"No, Captain, what we are is officers of a military force," Reed replied testily, "and I am under orders to see that thing destroyed for the trouble it has caused..."

A phaser was suddenly pointed at his head. Tali held the weapon surprisingly steady.

"I guess you'll be disobeying those," she said, her voice steel edged. "Drop your IMod."

Reed scowled at her, then looked at Shepard.

"Control your engineer, Captain," he said, the threat implied in his tone almost enough to make Shepard pause.

Almost.

"Like the lady said, drop your weapon," Shepard said lightly, nodding to Tali. "Keep an eye on this bastard."

"Aye sir," she replied, all too eagerly. Reed narrowed his eyes, obviously furious at this, but complied with the command.

That dealt with, Shepard turned to pay attention to the Thorian.

"I don't know if you can understand me," he said, speaking loudly to ensure that it could hear him, "but I intend to help you if I can. I can see to it that you are moved from here to a planet where you can live in peace..."

He was interrupted by a wet, fleshy sound - from an orifice surrounded by hanging tentacles somewhere near the front of the creature, there came first a pair of legs, then a body, and finally a green tinged head...

An Asari stood before them. Her skin was green-tinged, and she was clothed in what looked like dark brown leather, although the texturing seemed a bit off.

"You are within and before the Thorian," she scowled at the assembled Starfleet officers, her voice angry and harsh. "It commands that you be in awe!"

Not the best way to kick off any discussion, Shepard thought wryly, but he would deal with this as best he could. He had never been particularly big in the diplomacy side of being a Starfleet officer, but he would try his damnedest here.

"I am Captain Shepard of the Federation of Planets..." he began, in what he hoped was a friendly tone.

"The old growth does not _care_ who you are!" the Asari yelled, cutting him off. "It will listen no more to your lies. You are meat, to dig and decompose, nothing more!"

There were a few distinct yells, and suddenly a dozen creepers advanced from all sides, making their strange, twisted groaning sounds. Shepard pulled up his phaser rifle and shot one, but more appeared. One charged at Liara, who used a biotic shield to block its advance. Another two charged Wrex, who growled in anticipation and charged back, smashing them aside. They were outnumbered though, and as more creepers charged out at them, Shepard started considering the very real possibility that he would die down here, with his crewmates.

_Dying for the Captain, because he would die for me._ Somehow the thought wasn't particularly comforting, but it made him perversely proud that he was going to die with his crew. It was his place.

"So much for diplomacy," came a slightly snarky voice, interrupting his thoughts.

Tali had forgotten Reed in the chaos, and the man had managed to grab his IMod. With a vicious grin, he aimed it at the Thorian Asari-clone, and fired. The green skinned figure screamed as she disintegrated. Reed turned the IMod on the remaining creepers, dispatching each with the same ruthless efficiency.

"Easy," he said. He turned his attention to the Thorian itself, ignoring Shepard and his team, and before anyone could say or do anything, he fired his IMod directly at the centre of the creature.

Shepard had to cover his ears and he could see the others doing the same: an ear splitting screech had started filling the cavernous space as the beam from the IMod started burning the creature - because of it's size, it required a concentrated beam, and it's disintegration - though it only lasted maybe twenty seconds - felt like an eternity of screaming pain.

Finally, it was over. A few glowing particles floated down from wherever the thing's tentacles had been.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, that is how you deal with irritating plant life," Reed quipped sarcastically. "Weed kill."

Overwhelmed with a feeling of complete rage, Shepard advanced on the man, and before anyone could stop him, he lashed out. Reed brought up an arm to block the strike, and struck back with his other arm - Shepard caught that, but Reed punched him with the blocking arm. This, however, gave Shepard a free arm - he grabbed Reed by the shoulder, holding him in place, and kneed him in the stomach - once, twice, a third time...

The man clamped his hands on Shepard's upper arms, and kneed him in the stomach in return, before throwing him to the ground.

"When you're quite finished trying to take down Starfleet's best," the man growled arrogantly, "you'll see that I just saved you a shit load of trouble."

Shepard scowled at him, getting to his feet, dust covering the front of his Hazard Suit.

"I don't care what you think you did," he said. "What you're going to do now is come with me back to Earth for a damn court martial."

"It's lovely, in a sort of naive way, that you think that's gonna happen," Reed said, a smile on his face. He tapped an invisible combadge. "Reed to _Eagle_. Mission accomplished. Bring me back."

Before anyone could stop him, he was beamed away.

Shepard angrily tapped his combadge. "Shepard to _Normandy_, is there another Starfleet ship in this sector?"

"_I was about to hail you sir,_" Kaidan's voice spoke from the badge. "_An_ Excelsior _class Starship just... I can't believe this... decloaked. It warped away after a moment."_

"Can you tell which direction they went?" Shepard asked desperately.

"_No sir,_" Kaidan said softly. "_I'm sorry._"

Shepard cursed, and turned back to his team.

"Spread out, search this area for anything of interest, then meet back at the main colony for beam out," he ordered. "I'm going back to the ship."

With that, he walked out of the chamber, feeling dejected at the double failure of not being able to negotiate with the Thorian and not being able to hold Reed to account for what his branch of SI had done.

He needed a drink.

* * *

It was later, back in his ready room, that he learned a few things.

Almost as soon as he was settled in, Garrus came into his ready room to give him a report of what they'd found, including something very interesting.

"A Borg Drone was found slumped by what was left of some kind of seed pod," he reported. "Minimum augmentation. Used to be an Asari. She's down in sickbay right now, and Dr Chakwas estimates that she'll recover fully."

"Good to know," Shepard sighed. Garrus sat down, leaning forward slightly.

"You're still angry about Reed," he said. It wasn't a question.

"He's a betrayer. His actions make a mockery of everything the uniform stands for," Shepard replied, frowning. "Everything I stand for."

"Then you need to make doubly sure you keep acting in a manner fitting the badge," Garrus replied. Shepard smiled. Garrus seemed to have a very black and white view on things, but in this case, he was absolutely right.

"Thanks, Garrus," he said.

"No problem," the turian replied. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some target practice in with that IMod."

Shepard laughed. The IMod was the one bright spot in the whole mess - thing was a beast, and it's anti-Borg properties were especially helpful. He made a mental note to thank Tali for replicating them a consignment of the weapons.

After Garrus had left, Shepard wrote up the report he had for Anderson on the Therum and Feros missions, and sat back in his chair, fairly tired after all that. He vaguely considered going to his quarters and relaxing, but something nagged at him.

Just then, his computer beeped at him. A priority one transmission. Curious, Shepard tapped the command to open it.

Reed's face smiled at him.

"You," Shepard snarled.

"_Me_," Reed replied. "_Don't bother tracing, it's irrelevant. I wanted to talk to you_."

"I have nothing to say to you," Shepard said, angrily, moving to terminate the transmission.

"_But I have a great deal to say to you,_" Reed countered, and Shepard paused.

"Like what?" the irate Captain asked.

"_You think what I did was a betrayal of the Federation_," Reed stated. Without waiting for confirmation, he ploughed on. "_You couldn't be more wrong. Everything I did, I did for the Federation, with the express approval of Starfleet_."

"How the hell do you work that one out?" Shepard asked.

"_Part of the original Starfleet charter_," Reed said, smiling condescendingly. "_Article 14. Section 31. Covers the taking of extreme measures in times of great threat_."

"And your section of Starfleet Intelligence does that?" Shepard asked.

"_You misunderstand_," Reed sighed theatrically. "_We're outside of traditional Fleet operations. Section 31 is what my group calls itself. Call us Starfleet's answer to the Spectres, the Obsidian Order, the Tal Shiar, the STG... we are the best of the best, drawn from every department, every calling_."

Shepard couldn't believe what he was hearing - and yet, he could. What Reed was suggesting was frighteningly possible, frighteningly realistic. Why wouldn't the Federation have its own answer to the things the other governments had? Thinking about it, the answer was obvious. There was no reason. It did. Reed and people like him were it.

"Why tell me this?" he asked finally.

"_Two reasons_," Reed said, now smiling as he saw the thought processes cross Shepard's face. "_The first is so you understand that I am no traitor. I have something of a bee in my bonnet about that, I admit._" He paused, considering the second thing. "_Also, and rather more importantly, I think you might make a good member of Section 31, and my CO agrees_."

For a moment, he felt like he would explode in anger. Instead, Shepard laughed.

"You cannot be serious," he said angrily. "I can't condone a single damn thing you do. How the hell do you expect me to join you?"

It seemed Reed was serious though, from his expression. "_You're intelligent, you're skilled, your experienced, and most importantly you know the threat the Federation faces from the Borg_." He paused, letting the words sink in. "_You can't tell me that you wouldn't do something - anything you could - just to stop the Borg from doing to a planet, or a people, or the entire Federation, what they did to your crewmates on the_ Enterprise."

This stopped Shepard in his tracks.

"You're right," he said at last. "I would do anything to stop the Borg, but that doesn't mean stooping to your level."

"_Not yet it doesn't_," Reed countered. He sighed sadly. "_I thought to convince you, but never mind. I hope one day you realise that what we were doing was for the good of the Federation, and that sometimes, there is a price that has to be paid_."

"Your price is too high," Shepard returned, and with that, he pressed the terminate call button.

He sighed, still enraged at what the man had done, but now the smallest level of understanding was mixed in with his rage. High prices needed to be paid by someone, someone willing to compromise principles to do what was 'right'. But Shepard was determined that someone wouldn't be him, and that if he had to compromise his principles to that level, he would resign immediately afterward.

He stood up, deciding that he couldn't just sit here thinking about the many myriad ways in which this mission was starting to go FUBAR. He tapped his combadge.

"Shepard to Dr T'Soni," he said. "If its convenient, we should meet in sickbay to proceed with the mind meld you suggested."

"_I'm already in sickbay, Captain_," the tinny voice of the Asari replied, sounding worried, "_and I think you should come here immediately. I've just been made aware of something that might prove troublesome_."

Shepard sighed. "I'm on my way," he said, signing off. What could possibly be the problem now?


	15. The Meld

**Chapter Fourteen: The Meld.**

When he entered Sickbay a few minutes later, Shepard couldn't have told you what he was expecting, but seeing the two Asari deep in conversation would not have been the top option on his list - hell, it probably wouldn't have made his top forty - mainly because he hadn't expected the Asari they had recovered on Feros to be recovered yet. But there she was, looking grim (for obvious reasons) but otherwise resolved. Liara, on the other hand, looked remarkably tired and haggard, as though bearing some great burden.

Dr Chakwas was standing nearby, checking some medical readout or other. She was the first to see Shepard, glancing up at him as he entered the room.

"Captain," she said in greeting. The two Asari looked over to him, and Liara smiled softly, though it didn't reach her eyes.

"Shepard," she said, and damn if even her voice didn't sound tired. "This is Shiala. She was a prisoner of the Thorian, and a Borg, but we've managed to remove the majority of the Borg technology."

"It's good to be free of them," Shiala muttered under her breath. "Damn voices."

"What exactly were you doing down there?" Shepard asked. The former Borg didn't answer for a minute, apparently gathering her thoughts - or steeling them.

"The Borg knew of the Thorian from assimilating certain ExoGeni personnel," Shiala replied, softly, refusing to meet Shepard's eyes - which hinted that she remembered her own part in those assimilations. "By the Goddess... the _screaming_..."

"Focus," Shepard said, gripping Shiala by the shoulders. She looked him in the eye. "I need to know. You couldn't help them, but you can help me."

"You're... right, of course," Shiala said after a moment. Apparently Shepard's motivational tactic worked. "I was sent to assimilate it. It did the same to me. Our minds were merged, and I..." She shook her head. "I don't remember anything else after that."

"Several samples were taken of her tissue," Chakwas interjected. "That's how I think the clone you encountered was created."

"I'm just glad you're alright," Liara said to Shiala softly. "I've lost enough people I know to the Borg."

"You knew her before?" Shepard asked Liara.

"I did," Liara confirmed with a nod. "She was one of my mother's followers."

"Your mother being?" the Captain queried. If she was meant to be famous, he should have probably known, but he wasn't up in political circles and there hadn't been much time for research. Other things had taken up his attention.

"Her mother being Matriarch Benezia, one of the most powerful Asari alive," Shiala put in, patronisingly. "And now an assimilated slave of the Borg, much as I was."

And suddenly Liara's tiredness and apparent misery made sense - her mother had gone missing several days ago, and ow it had been confirmed that she was Borg. That explained why Liara looked so downcast. It was understandable, and even worse than if her mother had been just dead. Losing someone to the Borg always hurt more than any other way in Shepard's experience, because unlike when they died, there was no body to mourn, nothing to remember them by, no funeral to perform. Only the horrible realisation that they weren't dead: they were far worse than dead. Slaves.

"I'm sorry," he said, and he meant it more than he had ever done so all the many times he had needed to say those words before today. "If you need anything, I'm around."

"Thank you," Liara said, a soft smile on her face.

"This is important news," Shiala said, ignoring the exchange. Shepard turned to face her, his expression indicating that she should continue. "Matriarch Benezia had a great deal of influence in Asari culture. Many people listened to her when she spoke about subjects such as our military or any cultural opinions she had. When she spoke, our people paid attention. And her position allowed her to know things - secrets."

She sounded important - and if she was important, this was bad.

"To put it in terms you understand, Shepard," Liara concluded, "Benezia's capture is the equivalent of your Captain Picard's assimilation."

And there was the crux of the matter. She had known things that made her valuable to a lot of people - and now, valuable to the Borg. No doubt with the knowledge they gained from her, they were just that bit more dangerous, which was the last thing anyone needed.

"Damn," he said, summing up his thought processes. "Did she know Asari military secrets?"

"She knew all sorts of military secrets, Asari included - as well as Turian, Salarian and even a few Federation tidbits," Shiala said with a grimace. Shepard cursed. This was bad alright, on a scale he wasn't ready or willing to deal with. And yet, here he was.

"Great," he groaned. "What do we do?"

"What we do right now is undergo that meld," Liara said, determinedly. "It is vital that you understand the message left to you by the beacon."

"Beacon?" Shiala said, sounding surprised. She looked from Liara to Shepard for an answer. "What beacon?"

"A Prothean beacon on Eden Prime," Shepard clarified to the Asari. "I got too close and ended up suffering a vision."

"Yes, the Borg wanted that as well," Shiala murmured, eyes darting about in thought. "The one formerly called Saren received the vision, and the Collective were able to decipher some of it thanks to their... resources."

Resources meaning assimilated minds working to translate the thing, naturally. Shepard grimaced in distaste.

"Well, I don't have the resources of the Collective," he said, impatiently. "Liara volunteered to help me understand the information in the beacon..."

"She can't," Shiala cut him off sharply. "Not like I can."

Both Liara and Shepard looked at Shiala like she had grown an extra head. Liara looked almost offended, as though her years of study into the Protheans had just been summarily dismissed from the equation. Shepard was just surprised by the boldness of the claim, although he was also calculating the possibilities.

"Explain," he said after a moment.

"Liara knows about Protheans from research," Shiala began. "I know about Protheans because I was melded with the Thorian. It consumed them, learned what they knew and what they were. Their cultural essence passed to it, and through it, to me." She smiled, almost vindictively. "If you promise to use the knowledge I have to bring them ruin, I will give you it."

Shepard smiled back, the same vindictiveness on his own face. Now Shiala was speaking his language. "That, I can promise." He had never been more serious in his life. Shiala stood up, standing directly in front of the Captain. She met his eyes.

"Then prepare Captain," she said, her tone suddenly deadly serious. "Embrace eternity."

* * *

_They were tearing them apart, everything the great empire had built. It was falling to pieces around them._

_Everywhere._

_Couldn't be stopped._

_Reapers._

_Reapers._

_Reapers._

_And suddenly he knew. _

_The Reapers were an ancient race of machines, the great enemy. Their intent was to wipe the entire Prothean race out - they had wiped out advanced galactic civilisation before, and their intent was to do so again. No one knew what their reasons for this were, and no one cared. They had to be stopped, and that was the end of it._

_But they couldn't be stopped, and so other solutions had to be devised. Even if the Prothean race couldn't be saved, they could be avenged. And if they could be avenged..._

_And so the Beacons were made, telepathic signal boxes that would send the message, relay the fate of the Protheans to the next cycle. And then, hopefully, the cycle would be broken. Vengeance and hope._

* * *

Shepard opened his eyes, taking in the sickbay, Shiala (who raised an eyebrow at him), and Liara, who looked suitably worried. He smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring manner.

"I understand," he said quietly, and then he passed out.

* * *

It took a few hours - and not a little bit of medication - for Shepard to be ready to speak to his senior staff. The meld had hit him hard, harder than he had been expecting, he made a mental note to always go with Vulcan mind melds in future.

As before, the crew he had enlisted on the way - Garrus, Wrex and Liara - joined him, as well as Kaidan, Tali and Ashley. They were all looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to make some move. He sat at the top of the conference table, considering his words.

"This is what I know," he finally began, trying to sum up everything the Prothean knowledge had given him. "The Reapers were hyper advanced machines. They came from nowhere and systematically exterminated the entire Prothean race - but the Protheans weren't the first race they murdered." He sighed, struggling to come up with a way to express what he was thinking - the thoughts were raging in his head, hitting off against one another one by one. "The Prothean beacon referred to a 'cycle'. A race rises up, then the Reapers destroy it. The Protheans were the last, and the Reapers wiped them out. After which, I can only assume they vanished."

He let the information sink in. To their credit - and Shepard's relief - no one looked overly sceptical, although none of them looked overly enthusiastic about the information either. Having said that, it wasn't 'enthusiasm' material, even if it did explain a few things, so that was understandable.

"Where do these Reapers fit in with the Borg invasion?" Ashley asked after a moment.

"As far as Shiala knows, the Borg want to bring them back," Liara put in, leaning forward and putting her hands on the conference table. "It's why they assimilated Saren."

"What would the Borg want with a race that destroy everything?" Garrus asked, sounding confused. "It doesn't seem to fit with their M.O at all." That much was true. Borg never destroyed when they could assimilate.

"Their technological distinctiveness," Kaidan theorised after a moment, his voice heavy with foreboding. "Think of the kind of technology needed to wipe out an empire. The Borg could bowl Starfleet over in months, assimilate everything in a few years."

The entire staff reacted to his words about as well as Shepard expected - looks of fear and sudden dread. They knew as well as Shepard did that the Borg with enough advantage would be unstoppable, spelling death - and worse - for everything.

"Scarcely bears thinking about," Tali whispered, summing up everyone's opinions.

"Fortunately, we know their next move," Shepard said, a grim smile on his face. He walked over to the wall display and put a picture up. "Meet Noveria."

"What's there for the Borg?" Ashley asked, narrowing her eyes at the planet.

"If Shiala is right, there are co-ordinates there for the Mu Relay," Liara explained to the group. "The Borg need that to find something called 'the conduit'."

"Any idea what it is?" Wrex spoke up.

"None," Shepard sighed. "But the Borg want it, and that's enough."

"We're flying awfully blind into this," Garrus said, and others nodded. "We don't know what they're after exactly, we don't know what their goals are beyond bringing back a supposed race of super machines. There's so many uncertainties."

"You're right," Shepard replied, taking the others by surprise. "But at this point, its worth a shot. We have to stop the Borg at any cost - any other alternative is unthinkable. We're setting course for Noveria. Dismissed."

* * *

A few hours later, after some sleep and a much needed sonic shower, Shepard walked onto the bridge. Ashley was at Tactical, Pressley standing by the command chair. They nodded as he stepped from the turbolift, and he smiled.

He didn't particularly want to admit it, but part of him was getting used to command. Not the way the crew looked up to him - that part was unsettling - but he was getting used to the responsibility. Once, it scared him, the idea that these people relied on him to keep him alive, but he was coping by thinking of it as if it was an extension of his old security chief role: he wasn't in command of five or six people now, but five or six hundred, but the same principles applied. Do your best, keep on your toes, think fast, try to get them home. It was all he could do.

"Captain," Joker said from the helm, interrupting his thoughts. "We're coming up on Noveria now."

"Good," Shepard said, sitting down at his command chair. "Please tell me that there's no Borg presence in system."

"A warp signature, but no ships," Kaidan said from the Ops station, his fingers ancient along the touch screen panels. "We're getting a hail from the planet though."

"Put it up," Shepard replied, getting up and moving to stand behind the Ops station. The viewscreen was suddenly filled with a very angry looking Salarian.

_"I am Administrator Anoleis, of Noveria Port Hanshan_," he said, his voice high pitched and irritated. Or maybe irritating. Or probably both. "_Your presence is unwelcome_."

"Not as unwelcome as a Borg presence, I'd imagine," Shepard said dryly. "Like the one you've got right now."

The Salarian seemed shocked at that. Shepard couldn't help but be a little pleased. Idiots like him always annoyed the hell out of the Starfleet Officer, always more interested in their little bit of power than actually helping anyone.

"_You're lying,_" Anoleis said at last, shaking his head. "_You want access to Noveria to investigate our clients..."_

"The Federation doesn't give a damn about your clients," Shepard replied, trying to keep the annoyance from his voice and failing miserably. "Optional economy, remember? We only use money to deal with governments like yours, we don't rely on it. The Borg have been here, and there's something on your world they want. It's in both your clients' interests and your own to help me."

The Salarian's mouth worked silently, processing what Shepard was saying. Finally, Anoleis nodded.

"_You may - what do you call it - 'beam' your team down at Port Hanshan_," he said. "_Five people tops, unarmed_."

Shepard smiled. Unarmed? Hell no. But the Salarian didn't need to know that. Thank God for the portable transporter buffer.

"Five people, unarmed, understood," he said. "Expect us shortly."

Anoleis terminated the transmission after a moment, and Shepard tapped Kaidan on the shoulder.

"You're up," he said. "Ashley, have Liara, Tali and Garrus meet us in transporter room three. IMod's in transporter buffers, no naked armament."

"Understood," Ashley said, relaying the orders. Shepard and Alenko stepped onto the turbolift, and Shepard smiled.

"Number one," he said to Pressley, who turned to look at him, "you have the bridge."

Pressley nodded as the turbolift doors closed.


	16. Planet of Ice

**Chapter Fifteen: Planet of Ice.**

When he and his team, equipped with full hazard gear, materialised at Port Hanshan a few moments later, Shepard was surprised to find armed guards waiting for them. He had been preparing to be completely reasonable and pleasant with these people - as a Starfleet officer, he was always mindful of his duty to first seek a diplomatic option for any situation, even when it wasn't necessarily the most prudent choice. Nonetheless, here he was, facing down armed guards. Not a brilliant way to start diplomatic relations.

"If you'll stand down," he said amiably to the apparent leader, a human woman of Japanese decent, "we're here with permission."

She frowned but made no move to order her troops to do so.

"We're in charge here," another woman, with severe features and blond hair, said. "You do what we say, or we put you in a cell."

Shepard raised an eyebrow - had he been anyone other than a Captain who had fought more Borg in the last few days than most people in Starfleet had at all, he might have been a little concerned by this openly hostile reception. Instead, he simply sighed.

"I'm here on important business regarding a Borg incursion into Citadel space and surrounding systems," he said slowly, trying to placate them. "I have followed a lead here. You should know what a threat the Borg are..."

"Load of horse crap," the blond woman said, cutting him off. "They don't want anything this place has."

Behind him, Shepard heard Tali snort, and he agreed with the sentiment. This woman was being obstinate, and he had no time for it.

"I ask again, let us through," he said, trying to keep sounding friendly.

Before the blond woman or the leader could respond, a dark haired woman in a pink dress walked in, looking severely at them.

"Captain Matsuo, stand down," she said sharply.

The leader of the Noveria forces - Captain Matsuo - stood to attention. The woman in the pink dress turned to Shepard, her expression still stern.

"Gianna Parasinni," she began. "I hope you realise, you don't have any actual authority here."

Shepard knew that, and was about to open his mouth to explain that all he needed to know about was the Borg. Before he could say anything, though, he heard a voice behind him.

"Actually," Garrus said, "as a Spectre, Shepard has plenty of authority to be here. Even has permission for weapons usage and possession here, if I remember the red tape correctly."

Shepard turned to look at the turian, and mouthed 'I do?' Garrus just shrugged. The Captain was grateful he'd brought the turian along now - he didn't know the first thing about using Spectre-status, but if it got him out of messes like this, he might do a little more research into precisely what benefits it gave him. Parasinni, for what it was worth, looked mollified.

"Well that's different," the woman said, her tone changing from stern to friendly in the blink of an eye. "Welcome to Port Hanshan. What can we do for you?"

The change was startling, but Shepard rolled with it.

"I need to know if any unusual visitors have come through here," he asked.

"We'll have to check the records," Parasinni replied. "Come with me please."

* * *

A moment later, Shepard and his team were standing inside Port Hanshan, waiting for Gianna to check through her records. She was sat at her reception desk, tapping away at her computer. Shepard was getting antsy: every second they spent here waiting for the woman to go through the damn records, the Borg could be doing anything: anything at all. Knowing the Borg, it was time being spent as efficiently as possible.

"Ah, here we are," Parasinni said after a moment, bringing her computer around for Shepard to see. "Matriarch Benezia passed through here recently on the way to the Peak 15 facility."

"Benezia?" Liara spoke up, her voice filled with sudden hope. "She was here?"

"She _was_," Parasinni confirmed. "Went straight there from here though."

"Any chance we could get there?" Shepard asked, holding up a hand to forestall any of Liara's questions.

"I'm afraid not," Parasinni said. "The Peak 15 facility is top secret and not open to anyone outside of clients."

"But..." Liara began, but Shepard held up his hand to silence her.

"Can you at least tell me where Peak 15 is?" he asked amiably.

"Why?" Parasinni asked. Shepard smiled.

"Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies," he said.

"That isn't going to wash," Parasinni said, condescendingly. "It's more than my job is worth to give you client information."

Shepard cursed, but then he remember he was talking to a human - old enough to remember Wolf 359 well. Hopefully she'd be willing to take the Borg threat more seriously.

"You said Benezia was here?" he began.

"Yes," the woman confirmed, starting to sound slightly impatient.

"And there was nothing wrong with her?" Shepard asked, suspicious.

"Wrong?" Parasinni asked. "What do you mean, wrong?"

"He means Borg," Garrus supplied helpfully.

Parasinni's eyes widened in shock. "Borg?" she said softly. "Here?"

"There's a distinct possibility," Shepard said grimly. "I need to stop them, Gianna. Give me the Peak 15 co-ordinates and you'll never see me again, and I can save Noveria from them. Can you help me out here?"

Gianna looked conflicted for a moment, as though she were contrasting her job with what she knew of the Borg.

"My mother was on the _Saratoga_," she said after a moment, sounding surprisingly quiet given how obstinate she had been a moment go. "I moved here to get away from the Borg. For them to be here..." She tailed off, and then a look of grim determination set into her features. "I'll help you any way I can."

"All I need is Peak 15's location," Shepard told her. "Can you give me that?"

"Damn right I can," Gianna replied, still looking determined. She inputted a few commands. "Do any of you have an omni-tool?"

Tali stepped forward, bringing her omni-tool up.

"Here," she said. Gianna inputted another command, and sighed.

"Ok, I've uploaded the location to your tool," she said after a moment. "Only wish I could do more."

"You can," Shepard replied. "You can get your security forces on high alert. You're gonna need them if the Borg make an open move."

Gianna nodded grimly. "I'll get right on that." She paused. "Give those metal bastards hell."

Shepard nodded and smiled reassuringly, and then lead his team back outside.

* * *

Once they were back outside the port and far enough away from the guards for Shepard's comfort, he turned to Tali.

"Upload those to _Normandy_," he ordered. She did so wordlessly, and after a moment nodded. Shepard tapped his combadge.

"Shepard to _Normandy_, Tali just uploaded some important co-ordinates," he said.

"_We got them sir_," Ashley's voice spoke after a moment. "_Orders_?"

"I need a site to site transport for my team to there," Shepard ordered. "Outside the complex so we aren't swarmed. I want you and Wrex to meet us there."

"_Aye sir_," Ashley said, her voice betraying excitement at the possibility of action again. "_Stand by_."

Shepard signed off. He looked at his team, all of whom seemed tense, Liara especially so, although in her case it wasn't just the possibility of facing the Borg once again.

"We're going to find her, aren't we?" she asked, her voice soft. She didn't look entirely thrilled - understandable really.

"It's possible," Shepard replied, trying to sound sympathetic. "I'm sorry."

"I could barely stand seeing T'Sal like that," Liara murmured, so softly Shepard had to strain to hear her. He wondered if she was even paying attention to him. "So... blank and empty. How am I going to stand seeing my _mother_ as a drone? I feel like I'll go mad."

It was a difficult question, and unfortunately the answer wasn't one Shepard thought Liara wanted to hear. Still, it couldn't be helped.

"I felt the same way the first time I saw my crew mates assimilated," he said after a moment, remembering his friends with their bodies desecrated. He nodded to Garrus. "Garrus had to kill fellow C-Sec when I first met him." Garrus looked stanly morose at the thought. "It's hard, because they didn't just kill them. But they are gone, Liara. All of them."

"We saved Shiala," she pointed out, looking Shepard right in the eye.

"She was a special case." He sighed, rubbing his eyes. "The Borg don't usually give us opportunity to do things like that. It's better just to think of them as being gone, and avenge them."

"And if you meet their body," Garrus added grimly, "you free it from their desecration, in memory of who you've lost."

Shepard nodded grimly. "We will try to save her if we can," he promised. "But we can't count on it."

The question hung in the air, and Liara looked like she was thinking it over.

"But you _can_ count on _me_," she said after a long moment. "Whatever the outcome."

Shepard smiled, glad to hear it, and out a hand on her shoulder.

"You'll do fine," he said.

He felt like a veteran talking to a recruit - Asari might live for years, and he didn't even know exactly how old Liara was, but to him she was a kid, thrust into a war that none of them had been ready to fight, not even Shepard. But they didn't have a choice, not if their way of life was going to survive.

"_Away team, stand by for transport_," a voice interrupted his thought. Sighing, Shepard tapped his combadge.

"Understood _Normandy_," he replied. After a moment, the familiar tingle of being dematerialised hit him.

* * *

When they rematerialised, the surrounding landscape was icy and rocky, mountains being constantly assailed by blizzards as far as the eye could see.

"Lovely environment," Garrus called out, his voice brimming with irony. "Think I'll build a holiday home on that mountain over there." He pointed off in the distance. Shepard laughed.

After a few moments, they found Ashley and Wrex waiting for them, weapons already out. Wrex still favoured his shotgun, while Ashley held an IMod, it's hefty bulk making her seem shorter than she really was. She waved at them as soon as they materialised, and they ran over to her. The two were standing by a large metal door that seemed to have been sealed.

"No sign of any Borg presence out here," Wrex reported, his voice grim. "But we wanted to wait for you guys before starting the party."

"And it wasn't because we couldn't open the door, oh no," Ashley added, although the slightly sheepish smile on her face said otherwise. "We were just being prudent."

"Smart move," Shepard replied with a grin. A little tension-puncturing was good for the soul. "Who knows what could be in here?"

"Hopefully Borg," the Krogan replied, apparently having no time or inclination for his colleagues' humour. "I'm in the mood to shoot something."

Shepard clapped him on the shoulder, and turned to Tali, who was already scanning the door.

"I hope you can get us inside?" he said.

"I wouldn't be much of a technician if I couldn't open a door," she replied sarcastically, giving him a sidelong glance. A moment later, the door opened creakily. "There."

"Good work," Shepard congratulated her with a smile. "Alright - Ash and Wrex on point, Garrus on six. We'll take this nice and slow."

The team nodded, assumed formation, and then slowly, they began exploring Peak 15.

* * *

The facility was deserted. No Borg. No bodies. Shepard hated every step of it. Even worse were things that hinted at something dreadful going on - turrets facing inwards, apparently to prevent anyone from leaving. Strange acid marks.

"Anyone else getting creepy vibes from this?" Ashley asked as they walked.

Shepard didn't answer, but he had to admit - the vibes were creepy. The others could feel it too - you could tell by the way they kept looking around, the caution with which they checked every corner.

As it turned out, this was only one part of the Peak 15 facility - from what few logs they could discover, there was a second area, accessible only via tram. They would have to restore power to the place to fix it and get to the labs.

After a short time exploring, they came upon a damaged VI core. Shepard set Tali to fix it, and stood by another door waiting for her to do so. To his surprise, Wrex came up to him.

"There's something you ought to know," he said softly - or as softly as his gruff Krogan voice could manage. "I think there might be rachni here."

Shepard looked at the others, who were standing too far away to hear the conversation. Rachni was a name that he knew of only vaguely, as an insectoid race that had waged war on the Citadel races and - but they were extinct.

"How can you be so certain?" he asked.

"A few stories I've heard, mainly," Wrex replied quietly. "The Rachni war was bad, and we never forgot those things. Those acid stains remind me of their spit."

"Could be anything," Shepard countered.

"Could be," Wrex agreed, "but you don't live centuries without at least considering even the crazy possibilities. And this possibility doesn't seem that crazy to me."

Shepard was troubled at the thought of having to deal with rachni, but fortunately he was distracted by the return of Tali from the depths of the VI core.

"No good, Captain," she said after a moment. "Whole thing was burned out. Disruptor fire, I think - the Borg must have been covering their tracks."

"Damn," Shepard swore. "Alright, we need to find some way to get to the labs. Can't just beam there without knowing what to expect."

"I might be able to rig a portable generator for the tram," Tali said. "Give me fifteen minutes, maybe?"

"Do it, Lieutenant," Shepard ordered. Tali nodded, and immediately started pulling bits of machinery apart. Shepard couldn't understand the tech, but he could let it slide. He was a Captain, not an engineer.

"Ashley, Kaidan, you're with me: I want to secure that tram," he said. He gestured to Wrex. "I want you to come along as well, in case you're right."

"Thought you'd never ask," Wrex said with a Krogan smile.

There was no sign of anything when they reached the tram a few minutes later, although Wrex was fairly edgy the entire way down. He kept his eyes on the shadows, as if expecting rachni to jump him every second. A few minutes later, Tali arrived with the makeshift generator.

"This will only get us there," she warned Shepard as she set it up. "We'd better hope we can get beamed out."

"That's the least of our worries," Garrus opined. "I'm kinda more concerned about the Borg."

"Aren't we all," Shepard muttered under his breath. A moment later, Tali stood up.

"Ready," she said. Shepard sighed, checked his IMod, and watched as the others did the same.

"Then let's get going," he ordered.

Tali nodded, and inputted a command on her tricorder, which was hooked up to the generator. Just like that, the tram started it's progress towards the labs - and if they were lucky, some answers.


	17. Fall of the Matriarch

**AN: We are now well past the halfway mark with this story, and I just want to take the time to say a few things, firstly: at something like 47,000 words, this is already the longest fanfic I've ever written, and by the time I'm done it should be closer to 74,000 words. Just on a personal level, I'm pretty damn chuffed with that. It's a big step up from when I was a teenager starting out and thought 10,000 was impressive. I just want to say, before I continue, thank you to those who have read and reviewed so far, and I hope you have enjoyed what you have read as much as I enjoyed writing it. **

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen: Fall of the Matriarch.**

When the tram finally arrived, Shepard's heart sank at the sight that greeted him. The hot labs were as deserted as the other section of the Peak 15 facility had been, but here at least there was something to indicate what had happened. The lighting was darker, there was a green tinge to it, and here and there, set into the walls, were makeshift Borg regeneration alcoves, build from whatever had been to hand. The Borg were nothing if not great adapters.

"Shit," Shepard swore. This reminded him, all too much and all too quickly, of the _Enterprise's_ corridors, infested with Borg technology. He shook his head, hoping the same flashbacks that had happened on Therum wouldn't happen again. He couldn't deal with it and the mission was too important for his mind to screw him over.

"This is Borg work," Garrus said unnecessarily, looking around with narrowed eyes. Shepard could forgive him stating the obvious though - this was very unnerving for most of his team, he could tell.

"Close up fighting the Borg," Kaidan said softly, eyes wide but face grim and determined. "Not exactly my idea of fun."

"It isn't anyone's idea of fun," Shepard replied, giving him a reassuring smile. "But here we are."

"It displays an incredible level of technical ingenuity to convert pre-existing spaces to their living standard," Tali commented. She waved up to a regeneration alcove, her tricorder out and scanning. "This is fascinating work."

"Fascinating as it no doubt is, Lieutenant," Shepard sighed, "we have a job to do."

Tali nodded, snapping her tricorder shut and pulling a phaser out. Shepard nodded too, and walked past her, through a door on the far end. His team followed, all of them on some level unnerved by what they were seeing. Even Wrex was gripping his shotgun slightly tighter.

"My mother might be here somewhere," Liara said softly, as if talking to herself. "I wonder what they will have done to her."

"Maybe it's better you don't see," Garrus said to her as they walked.

"No," Liara said sharply, then her features softened. "I have to see. I have to know. I owe her that much."

They approached the door to a lift. Only four of them would fit comfortably in, and Shepard knew they'd need to be manoeuvrable the minute they got up there in case the Borg were immediately hostile. He had to make a decision.

"Wrex, Tali, Liara, with me," he said, pointing at the elevator. "The rest of you set up a defence perimeter down here. Kaidan, you're in charge down here until we're back."

"Aye sir," Kaidan nodded smoothly. Immediately, he started setting his team up to defend key positions in the room, taking cover behind benches and tables. Shepard smiled at the efficiency, then quickly followed his chosen team into the elevator.

"We'll have to be careful," he said to them as the elevator ascended. "We might encounter Borg the minute we arrive, and we don't know whether they'll consider us hostile."

"Understood," Liara said. Wrex and Tali nodded.

"As before, don't let them touch you, and if a teammate is infected, shoot them," Shepard reminded them. "Same for me."

"Better dead than Borg," Liara muttered grimly, her mind perhaps on other things. The others nodded.

After a moment, the elevator arrived, it's doors opening all too slowly.

A Borg drone faced them, staring right at them.

"Don't fire!" Shepard snapped at once. "Until we know whether it considers us a threat."

It looked at all of them, scanning them with it's augmented eye - and then, absurdly, it stood aside, as if being polite and letting them off first. Shepard gave it a look as he walked by. The others studiously ignored it. Then it got in the elevator and it descended, crying it's passenger with it.

"Wow," Tali said, summing up all their feelings. Shepard tapped his combadge.

"Alenko, you've a Borg drone coming down." He paused, thinking what he should say next. "It's non-hostile but be careful."

"_Understood_," Kaidan's voice replied.

"So now where do we go?" Tali asked. Shepard frowned, and led the way, up a few steps, around a corner, and through a door.

* * *

Liara found this entire experience to be among the most disconcerting she could remember. On Feros, the tunnels had not been altered in any way, save for one Starfleet console that she hadn't really paid too much attention to. Here, though, Borg technology had infected this building like a disease, spreading like sickness through the architecture. It was almost like Borg technology itself was alive and had a mind of its own: or maybe it was more like a cancer, infecting cells and taking them over.

She shook her head free of these thoughts. They were doing her no good and she needed to concentrate if she was going to get through this without having some kind of panic attack.

As they moved forward through the labs, they saw Borg drones walking about, doing what passed for their daily business. Liara was moved with pity for these poor beings: how many of them had been ripped away from their lives, taken forcibly and transformed into these walking abominations, as her friend T'Sal had been, as her mother had been?

And that's when she realised, although it was something she had known for a long time: they were all victims, all of them at some point or another having been torn from their lives and mutilated, turned into these monstrosities, never to go home again. It was the greatest tragedy of the Borg. All of them were both monster and victim, the ones who violated and the ones who had been violated.

"These poor people," she said aloud. Tali looked at her.

"We can't help them now," the quarian engineering officer said. "The best we can do is avenge them."

"I know," Liara said, upset. "It's a rare case where one can free a drone. But it doesn't stop it from being a tragic waste of life."

"That's true enough," Tali said sadly. "We just have to make sure that we try to do right by them."

Nodding, Liara promised herself that when the time came - and the time was coming very quickly - that she would endeavour to do right by her mother - she would avenge her desecration.

* * *

Ashley hated all this Borg technology that surrounded them - it was dark and gunmetal and ugly as sin, and it reminded her too much of Eden Prime. And then there were the infrequent visits by Borg drones, passing through on some errand or another.

The idea that if the Captain hadn't have gotten there in time, she might have been one of these mindless robotic things was - well, she would rather have been killed. If she put her hands to her neck, she could still feel the livid green scars where injection tubules had pierced the skin; the ultimate violation. The worst part of the entire experience though was the damn whispering, a thousand voices just at the edge of her perception - she figured it was a side effect of her being partially assimilated: the Borg tech might have been nullified but there was always going to be some trace in her system.

It was repugnant.

"This place gives me the creeps," Kaidan commented from nearby. Ashley smiled.

"You and me both, sir," she said. "I keep thinking how close I was to becoming a resident of places like this."

"That must be horrible," Kaidan said softly. "The idea that you could have been one of these..."

He gestured at a Borg drone currently regenerating.

"I can hear them, you know," Ashley said quietly. Kaidan gave her a look. "Just whispers. Only when we're near them. Smething got messed around with, up here." She tapped the side of her head.

"That must be disconcerting," Kaidan said, his ace showing sympathy. Ashley appreciated it.

"I just have to keep telling myself I'm free," she replied. "And that they'll never take me again."

* * *

_Just breathe, Shepard_, he was telling himself. This place was far too close to the _Enterprise's_ assimilated corridors. Every step felt like the skirmishes he and his colleagues had fought with the monsters. Every corner he thought he'd see men and women he knew in tattered remnants of their uniforms, instead of these poor scientists.

The team moved quickly, eager to be as far away from the Borg as possible. Eventually, they came to a door marked 'Restricted Area'.

"Anyone want to take bets that this is the place we need to be?" Shepard asked blithely. When none of them answered he turned to Tali. "Madam locksmith, if you please."

Tali gave him what he assumed was a 'look', then took her tricorder out and started working on the door.

While she did this, Shepard tapped his combadge. "Alenko, brace yourself. I think we're about to poke the ant nest with a stick."

"_Thanks for the warning, Captain_," the Ops officer replied a moment later. "_We're ready_."

Shepard was glad of that at least. Now he could focus on dealing with whatever was beyond this door.

"Ready to open," Tali reported.

"Let's not keep the Borg waiting," Wrex commented with a laugh. "I'm eager for them to meet my shotgun."

Liara said nothing, but her expression conveyed everything Shepard needed.

"Right then," he said. "Let's go to work."

The door opened with a soft hiss. The lab beyond was large and cavernous, Borg alcoves dotted all around. But the most impressive thing was in the middle of the room: a large glass tank was suspended there, within which was a large insectoid creature. Nearby was an observation platform, accessible by stairs near the door.

"That's a rachni queen," Wrex said with barely disguised contempt. "I'd know that profile anywhere!"

"I can't see Benezia," Liara commented softly.

"We'll find her in a minute," Shepard promised. He walked forward, ascending the stairs slowly.

"That," a cold voice said, stopping the little group of Starfleet officers in their tracks, "is far enough."

She stepped out from the shadows - tall, regal and dignified. Apart from the pallor of her skin, the visible veins, the black bodysuit and the small implant above her right eye, there was little sign this woman had ever been assimilated. She was certainly looking at the little group with something resembling contempt, although that might have been Just her natural expression.

"Mother," Liara breathed.

"Liara," Matriarch Benezia replied, her voice emotionless. "Your presence here is either a calculated attempt on the Starfleet Captain's part to reach some remnant of this unit's individuality, or else you yourself are foolish enough to believe that you can do so. Either way your presence is irrelevant."

"Actually," Liara shot back, anger filling her voice, "I came here to finish what the Borg started and kill you."

Benezia's face remained contemptuously impassive. "We highly doubt that. You were never a fighter, Little Wing."

Shepard had heard of this tactic when the Borg's appointed speakers spoke - to use nicknames to anger and provoke individuals to rash action. Locutus had called Commander William Riker "Number One", almost in mockery. He didn't quite understand why the Borg used mockery - it seemed a little overly emotional for Borg - but it didn't matter.

"It's just a mocking tactic," he said to Liara softly. "Don't let it provoke you."

"Oh, I'm well past provoked," Liara replied angrily, and suddenly her entire body started glowing.

"Liara," Tali said its a warning tone, but the Asari wasn't listening.

"Listen to me you mindless automaton," the archaeologist said angrily, her voice getting progressively louder as she spoke. "I won't let you use my mother's body any more! This desecration ends NOW!"

She lifted an arm and, without another word, charged straight at the drone that had been her mother. Shepard cursed.

"We just became hostile, people!" he yelled. Borg drones started disengaging from their regeneration alcoves, but Wrex and Tali were quicker: Tali switched to an IMod and unleashed a rain of phaser blasts that took down drone after drone. Wrex's shotgun hit kinetic barriers, but they fell quickly under sustained barrage.

Meanwhile, Liara and the drone that had been Benezia were busy throwing biotic energy blasts at each other, each trying to bring the other down. They were so far stalemated - the drone had Benezia's power, but Liara had rage and imagination on her side, things the drone was sorely lacking. She used a biotic punch to knock the drone to the ground, and then proceeded to pound it while it lay there, biotic punches laying into the damaged cyborg as it lay helpless before the fury of a raging orphan.

After a few moments, the remaining drones - including a dozen reinforcements who had entered as the battle continued - were down, leaving only the downed Matriarch drone. Shepard, Tali and Wrex moved up, where Liara was standing, panting after the exertion of beating her mother down.

"Let's finish this," she said when the others got there. She took out a phaser from her hazard suit buffer and aimed it at Benezia's head.

"No," the drone said, holding up a hand in a surprisingly human gesture, "wait..."

Liara looked like she was about to scatter her mother's brains out, but Shepard held up a hand to stop her.

"What?" he said harshly.

"I don't have much time," the Matriarch said. "The tendrils of the hive are strong, but I have been building up to this, waiting for the right moment to regain my body."

"Mother?" Liara said, suddenly looking like a little lost child. "Is that you?"

"Yes," Benezia said. She sounded exhausted, probably at the sheer effort needed to force past assimilation. "I haven't much time - I'm so proud of you..." She shook her head. "I have information."

"Speak quickly then," Wrex suggested gruffly. Benezia nodded.

"Listen. This creature," she gestured at the insectoid caged in the glass tank, "is the last rachni queen. She was found by these scientists, before I came here - they had made an army of young rachni, but they were insane. We assimilated the scientists, cleared out the rachni young - but we couldn't assimilate her. Somehow, her blood is resistant to nanoprobes." Her face took on a haunted expression. "I... I did so many terrible things..."

"It wasn't you," Shepard said.

Benezia shook her head, expression full of self recrimination. "If I had been stronger..."

"Against the Borg, there is no stronger," Shepard cut her off. "Believe me. Please, carry on."

The Matriarch nodded, and took a breath. "I used - they made me use - my telepathic abilities... to rip information out of the queen. The location of the Mu relay."

Shepard's eyes suddenly lit up.

"We need that information," he said.

"Give me one of your tricorders and I will write the coordinates," Benezia said. Tali handed Shepard her tricorder, and he in turn handed it to Benezia. A moment later, she handed it back.

"Done," she said, her voice strained and weak.

Shepard turned to Tali, who checked the tricorder. the engineer looked up at him and nodded - the coordinates were good. Shepard turned to Benezia.

"Thank you for this," he said.

"It is penance for my crimes, nothing more," the Matriarch replied. "And now, if I may ask a favour: can you kill me please?"

"No!" Liara yelled. "Mother, we can save you..."

"Little Wing, I am broken and what is left of my mind is theirs forever," Benezia said, a tired smile on her face. "I have done things that I will never forgive myself for, violated Asari and others. Let me die with dignity. Let me have this victory against them."

Slowly, tearfully, Liara nodded, trying desperately not to sob. She looked at Shepard, her eyes asking the unthinkable question. He nodded, took out his hand phaser, and aimed it at Benezia. She faced the phaser unflinchingly.

"You've helped us immeasurably, Matriarch Benezia," he said to her.

"I only regret I could to do more," she replied. "Good luck, Captain."

A moment passed, and then he pressed the trigger. Benezia slumped where she lay, her eyes wide and glazed.

"Merciful," Wrex commented. "She died well."

"I wish we could have saved her," Shepard replied. Liara stood away from the group, covering her face, unable to look to her mother's body. Whatever rage she had felt was gone, and all that was left was the hollow sadness of losing her mother.

"This leaves the question," Tali said softly. "What do we do with that?"

She pointed one long finger at the rachni queen. From it's glass cage, it looked up at them - almost as though it were sizing them up, trying to decide whether it was under threat or not.

"The thing's a rachni," Wrex said decisively. "Only one thing good enough for rachni."

"Not your decision," Shepard snapped. He walked over to an LCARS panel, where two controls were discernible - initiating a purge to terminate the queen, or releasing her from it into the wilds of Noveria. Shepard had heard of the rachni war and it's devastating consequences, but had no interest in committing genocide based on past events.

"I won't kill her," he said at last. "I didn't join Starfleet to pass judgement on a whole race. Hopefully she understands mercy enough to vanish without causing a fuss."

Tali and Liara nodded, though Liara looked too distracted to care. Shepard thought Wrex, as a Krogan, might object, but he merely shrugged.

"Your decision, Captain," he said softly. "If it comes back to bite you, that's your doing."

Shepard nodded, accepting this, and tapped his combadge. "Alenko, status."

"_Had a few Borg guests, but nothing major,_" the Ops officer replied. "_All clear this end_."

"Good," Shepard said. "We're getting out of here."

Looking at Liara, he realised that it was already too late to leave for her: the damage was done. He would have to talk to her later, once they were back on the _Normandy_. Make certain that she was alright. If there was even an "alright" after something like this.

Sighing, he tapped his combadge again.

"_Normandy_, get us the hell out of this place."

A moment later, the team dematerialised from the surface of Noveria, leaving nothing but ruin and corpses behind.


	18. The Borg's Move

**Chapter Seventeen: The Borg's Move **

The immediate aftermath of the Noveria mission was utter chaos.

For a start, Shepard had needed to inform Starfleet that they needed to come pick up a bunch of discarded Borg technology - and bodies - from Noveria. They had responded by saying they would send two ships to retrieve everything, but that would take four days to arrange, four days during which the _Normandy_ had to wait above Noveria, to make sure no more Borg arrived - and also to make sure that there were no Borg in the Peak 15 facility. Shepard agreed, secretly aggrieved that he had to hold position when by rights he had Borg to go fight.

Shepard, tired, had delegated the task of triple checking the base had been cleared to Ashley and Garrus (backed up by a dozen security officers armed to the teeth it's TR-116s and IMods), who had gone through the base with the proverbial fine toothed comb. By the time they were done, there was nothing Borg left alive down there.

Speaking of which... Shepard had given them discreet orders to retrieve Matriarch Benezia's body: he felt that the brave Matriarch deserved better than to be dissected on some Starfleet technician's operating table to see how the Borg tech ticked. He also felt Liara deserved better than for that to happen to her mother.

Once his team had brought the body up, he had done some research and arranged a quiet little service for the Matriarch, which he conducted himself. Liara had been grateful for it, and had spoken at length about her mother's strength of will and kindness, saying that she felt her mother was happier now she was free. After the funeral, she admitted to Shepard that she was still distraught, but that was to be expected. She was a strong sort, and would be fine, she said. Shepard wasn't so sure - killing one's mother wasn't something everyone did in their time, and no one did it without some kind of trauma - but if she said she was fine, he couldn't force her to talk.

After the funeral, there were various other administrative matters to deal with. Wrex requested a day's leave and a shuttle with a combo relay/warp drive.

Shepard was suspicious, so he asked his Krogan friend more about it, thinking it an odd request. As it turned out, Wrex was going to retrieve a set of his family's armour that had been taken from them after the Krogan rebellions. It had passed through several collectors hands until reaching one Tonn Actus. Shepard asked how Wrex intended to retrieve the armour, but had already known exactly what his friend intended. Nonetheless, Shepard owed Wrex a lot, so he agreed and gave him the shuttle, on the provision he not wear Starfleet colours while he did it. Wrex agreed, and returned a day and a half later with a Krogan smile, a set of family armour in a big storage case, and a renewed respect for Shepard's command style.

Tali meanwhile had taken it upon herself to double and triple check the Normandy's systems, convinced they would have to fight the Borg in space properly soon. Shepard agreed, but he was worried she was being a little too over-worked by all the responsibilities she was taking up. Of course, if he understood correctly, the quarians spent most of their lives on ships that needed ten times the work that the _Normandy_ was undergoing, so maybe he was being a little humanocentric in his opinion of how much work a person could take on. At least, he thought that until he had an angry Dr Chakwas on the comm on the third day, complaining that Tali was on six different stimulants and hadn't slept since before Noveria.

After that, Shepard decided to trust his instincts, and told Tali to take the day off on the Holodeck and rest. She replied that she would only do so if he did, and though he was loathe to leave his post, at the innocent tone of her voice - and the none too gentle urgings of Dr Chakwas - he agreed, leaving Pressly in command for the remaining day before the Starfleet ships arrived.

He found himself vaguely wondering which had been more persuasive - the intimidating-with-a-heart-of-gold CMO, or the trusting, too-nice-for-her-own-good-sometimes, quirky little chief engineer. And then he found himself vaguely wondering why it even mattered.

* * *

When they met outside the Holodeck, Tali wasn't sure what to expect. She had told the Captain to come onto the Holodeck with her on a whim; that Dr Chakwas had happened to think it was a good idea was luck. But that he had agreed had surprised her. It hadn't been a serious suggestion at all, but here she was, waiting.

Having never used the Holodeck much, she decided to let him choose their destination. When he arrived in what she remembered from her history class as an antique Starfleet uniform - specifically one from the 2260s - she was confused. It was a plain gold shirt over a black turtleneck, with black trousers and boots. He smiled at her as he approached.

"Tali," he said with a smile. "Ready for an adventure?"

"That depends," she asked, smiling under her helmet. "What kind of adventure is it?"

"A classic one," he replied. Together, they stepped inside the Holodeck, ready to engage whatever enemies were ahead of them.

* * *

An hour and a half later, the two of them stepped out of the Holodeck, laughing their heads off.

"I can't believe the women used to wear skirts like that," she said, trying to speak through fits of giggles.

"I know," Shepard replied, laughing as well. "What can you say? Aesthetic decisions of a bygone era..."

They stood outside the Holodeck for a long moment, letting the laughter subside.

"This was fun," Shepard finally said, smiling warmly.

"Yeah," Tali replied. "Between away missions and Borg attacks, I don't think I've had time to slow down since I came on board."

"It's important for the crew to get that time," Shepard noted with a serious nod. He looked thoughtful. "I'll have to schedule some shore leave."

"Good idea," Tali said enthusiastically, before realising her opinion of the idea didn't actually matter. Nonetheless, Shepard looked pleased at the compliment.

"We should do this again sometime," he said with a smile.

"Yeah," Tali said. "Definitely."

A moment passed.

"I'd better go check on engineering," she said.

"Yeah," Shepard nodded. "And I probably have reports to fill out."

"See you later then?" Tali asked, grinning under her helmet.

"Definitely," Shepard said, smiling again.

And with that, the two of them walked off in opposite directions, both wearing large smiles for reasons neither understood, proving if proof were needed that Starfleet officers, despite being able to fly advanced starships, are really idiots when it comes to important things.

* * *

Shepard was halfway through the scheduling of the shore leave he felt his crew were owed when his computer terminal beeped - priority one transmission incoming. Frowning, Shepard keyed the control to open the transmission.

David Anderson's face appeared, grim set and tired looking.

"_Captain_," he said, his voice tired. "_It's good to see you._"

"And you, sir," Shepard replied, concern filling his voice. Anderson looked worried, and Shepard had a nasty suspicion he knew why. "Has there been a development with the Borg?"

Anderson, despite his obvious fatigue, chuckled at that. "_You've got good instincts, Captain. I'm glad to see you're settling into command._"

"What happened, sir?" Shepard asked, ignoring the compliment. He hated being rude but this was probably urgent.

"_All business? Good,_" Anderson commented, before leaning forward slightly in his chair. "_Our long range sensors picked up a Borg cube on course for one of the Council race's planets, specifically Palaven. Their military isn't ready to face the Borg yet, and won't be before they arrive_."

"What have we been doing to help?" Shepard asked, already running scenarios through his head.

"_The Council races don't have shields_," Anderson replied. "_The Prime Directive should apply, but under the circumstances, we've given them shield technology. Unfortunately, they were only just beginning the process of practical installation when the Borg cube appeared. They won't be ready in time._"

"What about weapons?" Shepard asked, thinking about the mass accelerator round usually used in Council space. "Their projectile weapons aren't going to be much use."

"_Actually, you'd be surprised how effective blunt force can be_," Anderson replied with a tired laugh. "_We haven't needed to give them much weapons tech_."

Shepard nodded. "You want the _Normandy_ there." It wasn't a question.

Anderson nodded. "_We're moving as many ships to assist as possible, and you've got as much experience as anyone._"

"You tapped _Enterprise_?" Shepard asked.

"_Of course_," Anderson said, smiling slightly mischievously. "_You think I'm Admiral Hayes_?"

Shepard smirked - Admiral Hayes' decision to leave the biggest anti-Borg weapon the Federation had chasing comets for the first half of the Typhon battle was already historically famous as one of Starfleet's great military blunders.

"You want us to make way immediately sir?" Shepard asked.

"_Wait for the_ Magellan _and the_ Crazy Horse," Anderson replied. "_Then set a direct course for Palaven, best possible speed_."

"Aye sir," Shepard said. "We'll see you there."

* * *

He stepped out onto the bridge a few moments, business face on, and the entire room quietened down when he did so. To his consternation, Garrus was stood by Ashley, apparently being drilled on the operation of the tactical console.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, his voice grim, "the Borg have sent a ship to attack Palaven. Once the _Crazy Horse_ and the _Magellan_ are here to take charge of the Noveria situation, we will be setting course for Palaven to rendezvous with a combined Citadel/Starfleet task force to try and stop them."

To their credit, the crew reacted well: 'well' meaning that Garrus' eyes widened and his mandibles flared in shock, but he didn't lose it where he stood. The rest of the Starfleet crew looked grim, but resolved. Shepard couldn't help but feel happy to serve with such officers. For him, it meant that they might well make it through this fight. There was a big difference, however, between Borg on the ground where IMod's and TR-116's gave one level pegging, and a Borg cube, the bane of Starfleet, the class that crushed the fleet of Wolf 359 and then nearly did the same to the forces at the Typhon sector.

Shepard shook his head slightly, willing these thoughts out of his mind. "Mr Moreau," he said, and Joker turned to look at him, surprised that he wasn't being addressed by his usual nickname. "Plot a course for Palaven. When the _Crazy Horse_ and the _Magellan_ get here, engage at our best speed."

"Aye sir," Joker said. He sounded subdued. Shepard couldn't blame him.

"Pressly," he said, turning to his redoubtable XO, "I need crew readiness reports within the hour. We need to be prepared if we're going into battle."

"You'll have them, sir," Pressly replied smartly, all business as always.

"Williams," Shepard said, turning to his tactical officer. "Coordinate with engineering. I want you to squeeze every inch of efficiency out of those weapons."

"Yes sir," Ashley replied grimly, immediately entering a series of commands into her console.

"Mr Alenko," Shepard added, turning to Kaidan, "I want you to tweak our targeting sensors, long range sensors, and work on our structural integrity fields. Everything needs to be at one hundred percent."

"It will be, sir," Kaidan assured him, already entering commands.

"Garrus," Shepard said, turning to the turian, who to his credit didn't seem to be falling apart yet. "Go get Wrex, and have the security teams run drills in the Holodeck for if the Borg manage to board."

"Ys sir, right away," Garrus said sharply, immediately moving to the turbolift.

The well oiled machine that was his crew had snapped into action, and now all Shepard could do was wait.

* * *

It was two hours later that the first transmission arrived. Tali and Ashley were at the tactical station, working on something. Joker was at the helm. Garrus had come up to the bridge with Shepard, wanting to hear the reports from is home world for himself. Once Shepard was sat down, Kaidan had patched him through to the fleet channel, where they heard the grim reports on the speaker.

_"It's here! It's just warped into system..."_

_"Shields up, red alert..."_

Tali folded her arms, almost a defensive posture. Ashley gripped the edges of her console with white-knuckled hands.

"Defiant _and_ Excalibur, _flanking position to port..._"

"_Confirmed, single Borg cube, on direct course for Palaven._"

"_Kinetic barriers and shields both up. Readying Mass Accelerator..."_

_"...Borg cube arrived ahead of schedule..."_

"_Ready phasers, load all torpedo bays!"_

Kaidan looked faintly ill. Joker had a hand over his face, covering his expression - probably a good sign under the circumstances.

"_Stand ready, soldiers,_" a turian voice spoke on the speakers. "_If we die, we die for Palaven."_

Behind Shepard, Garrus nodded unconsciously, the words obviously stirring some memory for him. For a moment, it sounded like the fleet was ready - maybe things weren't so grim for them.

And then, echoing horribly through the speakers, the voice spoke: not the voice of the assimilated Spectre, Saren, but the voice of the Collective, hundreds of enslaved minds speaking in perfect, unholy chorus to deliver their message, their pronouncement of doom.

**_"We are the Borg. Existence as you know it has ended. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile."_**

A horrible moment of silence passed, as the statement of intent rang in the ears of every person on the _Normandy's_ bridge.

"_Open fire!_" the voice of Commodore Anderson spoke suddenly.

And with that, Starfleet and it's turian allies snapped into action.

"_All ships, fire at will! Target these coordinates..._"

_"They're firing!"_

"_Captain's down..._"

_"...warp core containment field's rupturing! All hands..."_

"_Thirty three dead and rising - what are they firing?!"_

"_Turian ship _Indomitable _requesting immediate assistance!_"

"Shut that off," Shepard ordered. Kaidan obeyed, and the grim messages ceased. He turned to his crew. "Our orders were to wait for the _Crazy Horse_ and _Magellan_. I think that just went out the window. Anyone wanting to object should do so now."

There was silence on the bridge. After a long moment, Shepard smiled.

"That's what I thought." He turned to the helm. "Joker, set course for Palaven, relays and maximum warp."

"I did that two minutes ago," Joker replied, turning to grin at his Captain. "Figured you'd give the order the minute you were finished with the dramatic posturing so I jumped the gun slightly."

Shepard grinned at his helm officer. "Remind me to court martial you never." Sobering, he sat in his command chair, now all business. He tapped a command into his armrest console. "Red alert. All hands to battle stations."

The moment the words left his mouth, the crew jumped to attention, each one a picture of efficiency, and each ready to give their lives for the service. The lights on the bridge dimmed slightly, and a red flashing light filled the air. A klaxon sounded, once, twice, then three times, and Shepard had to wonder, even as he psyched himself for the coming battle: would that noise be the clarion call for victory, or was it the herald for their doom?

* * *

From space it looked something like this: the USS _Normandy_ flew gracefully away from Noveria, a swan necked vision of beautiful - if slightly outdated - design.

A moment later, she elongated as her warp nacelles came online, and a moment after that, she vanished into the distance of space in a flare of light.


	19. Battle of Palaven

**Chapter Eighteen: Battle of Palaven.**

Shepard found the wait as the _Normandy_ flew towards Palaven to be one of the most anxious he had ever experienced in his time as a Starfleet officer, and that was saying something for a man who'd been in as many scrapes as he had. Though he had gone into battles before, he had never done so as the Captain of a starship, with so many lives resting on his ability to keep a cool head and think his way out of whatever trouble they would end up running into - in this case, a full scale fleet battle against a Borg Cube. He resisted the urge to panic, as well as the rather sillier urge to ask for constant status updates, but he still felt incredibly uneasy. He tried a few calming techniques he'd learned when he was younger - breathing exercises, that sort of thing - but no matter what he did, he couldn't stop his mind running away from him, asking questions that it couldn't provide any answers to.

What ships had Anderson pulled in? How many Starfleet officers had already died in battle? How many turians? How ready were the turian defence forces when the Borg hit? Was it only one ship, or were more inbound? And why one ship? Effective as Borg ships were, more ships would surely have been necessary to take a whole planet fully. Unless that was never their plan...

"Captain," a voice said, startling him out of his thoughts. He looked up, to find Tali standing next to him. She spoke softly, so as not to get the attention of the rest of the bridge crew. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Tali," he said, smiling in what he hoped was a reassuring way.

She didn't look like she bought it, judging from the way she folded her arms. Shepard sensed he wasn't going to be able to brush her concerns off.

He sighed, resigned to the fact that he wasn't getting away with simple platitudes. "If we're going to talk, let's at least go to my ready room."

She nodded, and they walked off the bridge, nobody sparing them a passing glance, all too busy preparing for an imminent battle with the Borg. Shepard was grateful - he didn't like the thought of anyone wondering what it was he and his chief engineer were talking about.

Once they were in the ready room, and Shepard was sat in his chair, Tali folded her arms again, her body language indicating that he had better continue where he had left off.

Shepard sighed, and thought long and hard about how to frame what he was feeling. It wasn't easy: he wasn't used to expressing himself like this.

"I'm nervous about the battle," he said after a while. "Incredibly."

"Why?" Tali asked.

"Because... I'm terrified of failing the crew," Shepard admitted, putting his head in his hands. "For God's sake, I was a Lieutenant three weeks ago. Now I'm a Captain, with seven hundred lives depending on me. I've never commanded a ship in battle. What if I fail?"

"You haven't led us astray yet," Tali pointed out, not unreasonably.

"Luck," Shepard replied dourly.

"Skill," Tali retorted. "No one is as lucky as you'd have to be."

"Ha," Shepard said, sarcasm lacing his tone. "You know what I was told? I got picked because I had a 'Kirk spirit'." He snorted, equal parts amused and disgusted at the thought. "Captain Kirk was a great Captain, a great man. How am I meant to live up to that kind of expectation, that legacy?"

He sighed, and sat back in his chair.

Tali stood still, contemplating her Captain's words for a long moment, and then she uncrossed her arms. She slowly walked over to him, and out her hand on top of his, resting on the desk.

"'Don't try to be a great man, just be a man, and let history make it's own judgements'," she said tenderly. She was quoting Zephram Cochrane, one of his more well known pieces of wisdom. Shepard gave her a look, and she shrugged. "I always liked that one."

The Captain sniggered at the incongruity of the comment, and after a moment the snigger became a chuckle, then a full blown laugh. After a moment, she started laughing too. The two of them were completely hysterical for a good two minutes, holding their sides from sheer laughter-pain.

"You're right," Shepard finally said, controlling the last few guffaws. "All I can do is my best."

"Finally," Tali replied, her voice filled with laughter she was barely controlling, "he sees reason."

The two of them sobered up and remained silent for a moment, enjoying the pleasant atmosphere that had built up. Shepard felt a little better after this talk, certainly - maybe not ready to command crew in battle, but ready enough to try.

He stood up and walked over to the observation port, staring at the stars as they flew by. Tali moved to stand a little way behind him. He found himself enjoying her presence.

"You know, if this doesn't work, we may all be dead or Borg soon," he said, his tone surprisingly conversational given the subject matter.

"Dead," Tali interrupted sharply, her voice surprising him with its vehemence. "Not Borg."

Shepard glanced over his shoulder at her.

"You seem dead set against that," he said. "Not that I don't understand, of course, but is there a particular reason?"

"My people were forced off their home world by AI," the quarian replied, her tone a little tetchy. "I want nothing cybernetic controlling my will, thank you."

"I see your point," Shepard said, nodding thoughtfully. There was a pause.

"What was yours? Before I interrupted, I mean?" Tali asked. Shepard smiled and shook his head, dismissing the crazy idea he had been thinking about.

"It doesn't matter right, Lieutenant," he said softly. "We have a ship to run and a battle to we."

She nodded slowly.

"And after?" she asked.

"After, we'll just have to see," Shepard replied.

Tali nodded again, accepting this as the best she would get, and together, they walked back out onto the bridge.

* * *

"Captain," Joker said as Shepard walked back onto his bridge, the helmsman's voice an odd mix of tense and blithe. "Good timing, we're about to arrive at Palaven."

"Raise shields, charge phasers, arm torpedoes," Shepard ordered immediately, moving to take his seat. Tali quickly headed for the turbolift, eager to get back to engineering where she belonged before the action started. "I want us firing the minute we have a target."

"Weapons are all ready for your order, sir," Ashley said from tactical, looking positively eager for action.

"You have free reign to give the Borg hell, Ensign," Shepard told her. "I expect you to make full use of that free reign. Clear?"

The tactical officer gave a vicious grin at what was basically a 'weapons as free as you want' order. "Aye sir!"

"Twenty seconds to arrival," Joker said, more urgently.

"Still getting fleet transmissions," Kaidan reported, sounding happy. "We're not too late, sir!"

"Then let's join the party," Shepard said with a grin, more relieved than he had any right to be at the Ops officer's news.

"And... out of warp!" Joker reported, and suddenly the viewscreen was filled with scenes of battle.

It was the very definition of 'mess'.

The Borg Cube was more heavily armoured than any Borg ship design Shepard was familiar with (not that there were many): instead of the usual junky black hull lines that looked like unfinished and exposed hullwork, it had smooth silver armour plating across every surface. The Starfleet ships surrounding it were pouring as much fire at it as they could, torpedoes and phaser blasts impacting on the surface, and to their credit, the silver hull was marred with craters and scorch lines, but it wasn't enough to even slow the thing down.

"Where's the _Enterprise_?" Shepard asked. Kaidan's hands danced across his console.

"Not here," he said at last. "Must not have been able to get here before they did."

"Shit." Without Picard and his experience, this battle was about to get a lot more difficult. The man was the best anti-Borg weapon the Fleet could have had, and he wasn't here yet. "Ashley, fire! Give the rest of the fleet some help!"

Ashley didn't respond verbally, but a minute later five torpedoes and three phaser blasts hit the Cube, blasting yet more holes in it's armour. In response, the thing fired a green torpedo right at the _Normandy_, and the bridge juddered under the impact.

"Shields at eighty six!" Ashley yelled, already firing back. "Minor hull damage, nothing critical."

"Evasive, Joker!" Shepard ordered.

"My middle name," Joker replied flippantly, his grim expression belying the levity in his tone.

* * *

The _Normandy_ flew up, skimming the top side surface of the Cube as closely as an _Ambassador_ class cruiser could - which when it was being piloted by Joker was pretty damn close. As she flew, her ventral phaser bank fired, three splashes of red energy against the surface of the Borg Cube, boring deep holes into the silver hull. She cleared the far edge of the Cube, and three photon torpedoes flew from her aft torpedo launcher, striking the Cube directly in her hull. In response, it fired again, but the _Normandy_ evaded, artfully dodging the green blast.

Three more ships flew up to the Cube as the _Normandy_ danced - a _Miranda_ class destroyer (the USS _Surak_), a turian frigate (the _Righteous_) and an _Oberth_ class scout (the USS _Einstein_). The _Einstein_ was shot in two even as it flew, but the _Surak_ managed to evade the phaser blast sent its way and respond in kind, scoring three deep marks along the hull of the Cube. The turian vessel pumped out several mass accelerator rounds, but most of these were shot down but the hyper efficient targeting of the Borg vessel's weapons system. The few kinds that didn't get shot down impacted on the Cube, but it wasn't enough to save the _Righteous_ from being shorn in two by a concentrated cutting beam.

The _Normandy_ had spun around by the point, and fired four more torpedoes at the Cube, which took them without breaking the proverbial sweat. The _Surak_ fired more shots, taking a hit to the shields in return, though it managed to survive the shot. Another shot smashed into the _Nebula_ class USS _Endeavour_, chewing up half a warp nacelle, though thankfully nothing worse.

The crews of all these ships realised slowly, as they kept fighting, that this was turning into a hopeless battle. The Borg Cube was easily shrugging off everything thrown at it and slaughtering them in return.

* * *

"Patch me through to Anderson!" Shepard yelled as his bridge shook under the impact of another Borg shot. Sparks flew from one of the back consoles, sending one of his ensigns reeling, though thankfully the crewman was only scorched, not badly hurt. "Where's his flagship?!"

"The USS _Excalibur_!" Kaidan replied quickly, hands dancing across his console like a pianist at a concert, although his work was rather more urgent than most pianists.

The _Excalibur_ was pretty famous. She was also another _Ambassador_ class ship - seemed oddly fitting for Anderson.

"Get him on the horn," Shepard ordered.

Kaidan nodded at the command. "Patching you through."

Anderson's face popped up, filling half the viewscreen, the other half still resolutely filled with the battle.

"_Glad you could join us, Shepard_," the commodore smiled. "_I'd have hated you to miss the party."_

"_Seems we're missing some of our favourite guests_," Shepard replied, voice heavy with irony.

"Enterprise _will be here in ten minutes,_" Anderson told the Captain quickly, catching his meaning. "_We've held out this long_."

"What are our losses?" Shepard asked, even as Joker and Ashley performed a manoeuvre that gouged more deep scars into the Borg Cube.

Anderson sighed, the question not his favourite at this moment in time. "_Two thirds of the turian defence fleet here, about thirty ships. Half the Starfleet force, another fifteen._"

"Shit," Shepard swore. After a moment, he spoke again. "Do you think we can hold out?"

"_Hope so,_" Anderson replied. "_Any ideas?_"

If Anderson was asking Shepard for thoughts on how to proceed, he was clearly desperate. Fortunately, Shepard had one idea.

"When _Enterprise_ took command of the fleet over Earth, Captain Picard targeted all the fleet's fire onto one spot," he said quickly. "I can have my crew find a similar spot and fire again."

"_Same trick doesn't usually work on the Borg twice,_" Anderson pointed out.

"It's the only trick we have," Shepard retorted grimly. "We don't have much choice."

"_Understood,_" Anderson said. "_Let me know when you have to coordinates and I'll relay them to the fleet."_

"Aye sir," Shepard said, grinning. It might not work, but it was a plan. Anderson signed off. Shepard looked at Kaidan, trying to remember something about the target from the years-old memories.

"Kaidan, find an area on the lower half of one side, no vital systems present," he said urgently. "Ashley, once he has that, target it, fire, and tell me how that thing reacts."

Kaidan and Ashley's hands danced along their consoles, each working at their respective tasks. It took a tense few moments, but Shepard counted on his team to eventually come through

"Found a possibility," Kaidan said after a long moment. "Ash, confirm!"

"I've got it," Ashley said, still wearing the vicious grin. "Firing!"

Torpedoes and phaser bolts lashed out from the Normandy, striking this spot. The first torpedo splintered the Borg ship's hull, the second gouged a hole, and the third made it deeper. The phasers dug deeper still.

"There's some power fluctuations," Kaidan reported. "Couldn't tell you if it means we're hurting it."

"Patch me through to Anderson," Shepard ordered. Anderson's face immediately filled the screen. "Commodore, found a possibility. Power fluctuations are the only weird reaction the Cube is giving off, but..."

_"...it's more reaction than nothing,_" the commodore finished, his face and voice taking on a grim kind of elation. "_Better than we've had all battle, Shepard. We'll hit it with everything!"_

* * *

The _Normandy_ was quickly joined by _Excalibur_. A moment later, the _Defiant_ class USS _Resistant_ came up, torpedoes and pulse phasers lancing out. The _Surak_ and another _Miranda_ class ship, the _Istanbul_, poured fire on a moment later. An _Excelsior_ class ship, the _Berlin_, quickly followed suit, then the _Akira _class _Thunderchild_, a veteran of Borg battles past that had already done this once before. The _Geronimo_, the _Seoul_, the _Jakarta_, the _ShiKahr_... Starfleet's finest united to unleash hell upon the Borg. Joining them were a dozen turian vessels - the _Unstoppable_, the _Fury_, the _Primarch's Wrath_, to name but a few - firing as many mass accelerator rounds as they could, as well as other weapons such as disruptor torpedoes and Thanix Cannons.

The Cube took it all, dishing out return fire that lashed the allied fleet, striking ship after ship out of the sky.

* * *

"Our fire is doing something to it, but that thing is too strong!" Kaidan yelled, as the ship shook under yet another impact.

"Shields at ten and falling," Ashley reported grimly.

"Reroute auxiliary power and keep firing!" Shepard yelled, standing forward of his chair, right next to Kaidan, his eyes wide as he watched the Borg ship take everything the combined fleet threw and keep going. He realised fairly quickly that there might be only one other way out of this mess, although it was one course of action he had never wanted to take. Nonetheless, desperate times called for desperate measures. "Joker... ready a collision course."

Desperate measures indeed. To his credit, Joker didn't even break stride when he heard that command.

"Readying," he said grimly, all trace of his usual flippancy gone.

Shepard turned to look at the rest of his crew - they were all looking at him with a mixture of respect and fear - none of them wanted to die, but if it stopped this Borg threat, they were willing to.

"It's been an honour," Shepard said softly. "Godspeed."

He turned to Joker, fully prepared to give the order.

As it turned out, he didn't need to.

* * *

More than one crew realised that the concentrated fire wasn't working fast enough, and that too many people would be killed if they kept it up. However, it was Executor Julius Niro on the turian dreadnought _Absolution_ who finally decided enough was enough.

"Helm," he said, "set a collision course with that monster."

On a turian ship there were many things, but there was never dissension - certainly not when there were these stakes on the line. Every turian on that ship understood full well that the Borg had to be stopped, and they were more than willing to die to do it.

A minute after Julius Niro gave the order to die, the _Absolution_ ploughed into the hull of the Borg Cube, sinking deep into the thing right before it exploded. The first explosion sent a shockwave rippling across the Cube's hull. The secondary explosions sheared it in half, then in quarters, as the main reactor of the turian dreadnought exploded with the force of thirty photon torpedoes.

When the explosion finally cleared and the surviving crews and ships took a moment to acclimatise, there was a wave of jubilation that swept the entire fleet.

At heavy cost, this Borg incursion had been repelled.

They had won.

* * *

Shepard sank back into his command chair, frowning at the sight of two mighty ships dying. He felt relief, but also guilt: that should have been his ship taking that hit, his sacrifice. He felt unworthy of the reprieve the other Captain had unknowingly given him.

"Wow," Ashley said from her console, looking immensely relieved. "Got to hand it to the turians, they have a real sense of duty."

"Yes, they do," Shepard replied softly. "They lost about forty ships today."

That sobered the tactical officer for a moment, but none of the crew could stay depressed for long. They had just survived a brutal battle: they were ecstatic.

But, while the battle had been won, Shepard knew it was only the beginning. Now, more than ever, he was ready - no, eager - to find the Borg's base of operations in this part of space and end it. Nothing else mattered.

Coincidentally, the Ops console beeped a moment later. Kaidan tapped in a command, and then turned to Shepard.

"Sir, there's a priority one message from the Citadel Council for you," he said.

Shepard nodded slowly, and stood up.

"I'll take it in my ready room," he said.

With any luck, they had managed to find him something. He fervently hoped it was a new lead - a way to end this madness once and for all.


	20. Virmire

**Chapter Nineteen: Virmire.**

Shepard entered his ready room and quickly sat down at his desk. He hoped the Council had found something useful for him: he was more eager than ever to deal justice to the Borg. He entered a command on his console, and waited. A moment later, the faces of the Council popped up.

His professional relationship with the Council up to this point had been all-but nonexistent - he had not taken very much advantage of his Spectre status - indeed, he had quite forgotten about it until Garrus reminded him on Noveria. He had not made any requests of them, nor had he troubled them for information. Instead, he had made certain to send reports to them at the same time he sent other reports, and that was all. For their part, they hadn't bothered asking for a status update from him, or giving him suggestions where to go.

Shepard couldn't bring himself to feel too bothered about it. He was still Starfleet before anything else, after all.

"_Captain Shepard_," nodded the Asari councillor, Tevos, as the Council appeared on his computer screen. "_We have information that might be of use to you._"

"_Before we get to that, however,_" the turian, Sparatus, butted in, "_we understand the Normandy was at the battle of Palaven. I want to thank you for joining the defence._"

A rather unexpected bit of praise, but a welcome one. "It was my duty, and my honour, Councillor," Shepard replied, bowing his head slightly in respect.

"_To business,_" Valern the Salarian said sharply, getting Shepard's attention. "_An STG team has lost contact on the planet Virmire. From their last transmission, we believe they may have found something important to do with the Borg._"

"What did they say in the transmission?" Shepard asked, his curiosity more than a little piqued.

"_Unfortunately, it was too garbled to make out anything_," Valern replied, in an irritated tone, "_but it was on the emergency channel, and their mission was intel gathering on the Borg threat. That's what tipped us off to it being serious_."

"_We can't order you to investigate - that isn't how this works,_" Tevos said diplomatically. "_But its there. We'll send you all our files._"

"Thank you, Councillors," Shepard smiled, possibilities already running through his head. "This is excellent news, greatly appreciated. I'll head to Virmire as soon as my ship is repaired."

"_Good luck, Captain,_" Sparatus said. The Council signed off.

Shepard sat back, thinking things through. Though the _Normandy_ had taken a few hits, she was still in good enough to condition to set off soon. Shepard could, in fact, have left immediately, but he had no interest in doing so before his ship was in optimal condition - fighting the Borg required the best the ship could be.

Alternatively, he thought to himself, he might not have to take the _Normandy_ at all. He tapped his combadge. "Tali, how long before Normandy's back up to speed?"

There was a moment's pause before she replied. "At best speed, seven hours."

Five hours Shepard didn't want to waste. He tapped his combadge, a plan formulating,

"Ground team, briefing room, ASAP."

* * *

Once the ground team was assembled five minutes later, he quickly explained what the Council had told him. Once he was done, there were a few dubious faces around the table.

"Why would the Borg set up a static facility?" Ashley asked, her face matching her voice for scepticism. "Really doesn't seem to fit their M.O."

"Their M.O is constantly changing in order to best fit the circumstances," Kaidan pointed out, his brows knit together in a deep frown. "This could be another adaptation."

"Not to mention they assimilated Saren," Garrus commented, his mandibles flaring slightly in concern. "It might well be the influence of his knowledge and tactics that inspired this move."

"That's a concern," Shepard said, nodding slowly. "A Spectre is an elite operative, able to think outside the box."

"Bear in mind, the Borg tend to eliminate a lot of those factors," Tali pointed out. She folded her hands on the desk. "If he had much in the way of ingenuity to give them, it will be tempered by the mere fact of his being a Borg."

Shepard nodded at this input, assimilating it (for want of a better word) and thinking through his options.

"It still begs the question," Liara asked softly, "what would such a facility be doing?"

"I imagine that's what the STG were trying to figure out," Garrus pointed out. "It's only a shame they didn't get a clearer message off."

"The question is, what do we do?" Shepard asked his crew. "_Normandy_ won't be at peak for another six hours. By then, it might be too late."

"Then we should go via shuttlecraft," Kaidan suggested. The others nodded at the thought, and he continued. "Small, so they won't see us. If we take a runabout, we should have all the necessary space for whoever you want to take."

"Agreed," Wrex said slowly. "A shuttlecraft will let us infiltrate the facility undetected - then we can bypass their ship defences and get straight to killing their guys, up close and personal." The Krogan chuckled. "Just the way I like it."

Shepard nodded, a smile growing on his face. Yes, that sounded like a good plan: in actual fact, it was the pan he was going to suggest if no one else had any ideas. It was always good to know he and his crew were on the same page, so to speak.

"Right then," he said. He paused before delivering his next orders. "Tali: need you to stay on _Normandy_, make sure she's up to speed by the time we get back."

"Aye sir," the engineer nodded, not sounding entirely pleased by this.

"The rest of you, meet me in the shuttlebay in fifteen," Shepard ordered. A chorus of affirmatives came back at him, and he smiled. It was time to go kick Borg ass.

As he walked from the briefing room out onto the bridge, he stopped by Joker.

"I need you to fly the shuttle on our away mission," he said to the helmsman quietly.

"Me? Why?" Joker asked.

"I need our best pilot for it, and that happens to be you," Shepard replied with a smile. He dropped it as he gave his orders. "Get into a hazard suit and report to the shuttle bay."

"Aye sir," Joker replied, standing up. He didn't sound happy about it, but that was Starfleet: he had his orders.

He followed Shepard into the turbolift, as it's doors closed.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, the entire ground team - including Tali, despite Shepard's order - as well as Joker, who looked distinctly uncomfortable in a hazard suit, were assembled by the runabout _Odysseus_. It was kind of a fitting name, given that they were about to go on an equally difficult odyssey all their own, one that might well, if they weren't careful, lead to as much peril as the mythological one.

"Alright, get on," Shepard said flippantly to them as he approached. "We'll do any and all speeches on the way."

"Well that's something to look forward to," Joker remarked drily. The others laughed as they got on the runabout, and Shepard smiled softly - even if none of them made it back, there were no people in this galaxy he would rather have died alongside.

Tali was leaning by the entrance to the runabout, apparently waiting for Shepard. She had her arms folded, much like she had when they had talked before the battle of Palaven.

"Captain," she said, her tone confirming Shepard's theory that she had something to say to him. "Do you mind if I ask why I'm staying behind?"

"I need experienced officers back here to run the ship in case I don't make it back," Shepard said at once. Tali snorted.

"That explains Pressly being left behind all the time, maybe," she said scathingly. "But you need an engineer like me for this mission."

"Lieutenant Alenko can..." Shepard began, but Tali cut him off.

"He's good, but he isn't me," she said, sharply. Then, sighing, she spoke quietly. "Sir... tell me you're not leaving me behind for personal reasons, and I'll believe you and go back to engineering. Otherwise, I'm coming with you."

Shepard opened his mouth to speak, but the words stuck in his throat, and he couldn't make himself speak. After a moment waiting for Shepard to say something, anything, Tali nodded.

"You see?" she said, sounding resigned. "You can't do that, sir. I won't let you compromise the mission for personal feelings."

"I'm the Captain," Shepard replied, frowning. "My orders stand."

"Not this order," Tali said, stepping onto the runabout ramp and walking in. "You can court martial me when we get back."

Shepard watched her walk onto the _Odysseus_, his mouth working silently, and then, to his own surprise he smiled and shook his head. He might not have been completely happy about her coming, but he had to admit, part of him felt a whole lot better about it being this way.

He walked onto the _Odysseus_, and sat down between Tali and Kaidan, opposite Ashley.

"I thought Tali was staying behind," Garrus commented.

"Eh," Shepard shrugged. "Changed my mind." He smirked. "Captain's prerogative."

* * *

The _Odysseus_ was equipped with the same combo relay engine and warp drive as every other Starship, but the demands on power made it considerably slower than Normandy would have been, a fact Joker was _more_ than happy to bemoan on the journey - that and the handling, and the lack of decent facilities, and the cramped space, and the annoying layout... suffice it to say, Shepard didn't spend long in the cockpit with him.

The rest of the team was more than happy to discuss other things. Somehow, they had ended up talking about their personal lives with each other. Maybe the thought that most of them, if not all of them, might be dead soon was a motivating factor: it wouldn't be the first time in Shepard's experience that soldiers had shared stories of what they were fighting for right before a dangerous mission.

Wrex shared some interesting war stories, including a run in with some Klingons that had left him with two new scars and a respect for the warlike aliens. Tali told them about her application to the academy, including how joyous it felt to not be called "suit rat" by everyone who passed her by, how respected she felt in the academy - and on _Normandy_, something Shepard felt proud of. Kaidan talked about his home, and how when all this was over he was going to take some leave time. Liara shared a few stories about her mother. Garrus talked about his father, and how he hoped he wouldn't be disappointed by his having a position on a Starfleet vessel.

Ashley was the most talkative. She spoke of her grandfather and what a kind man he had been. She talked about her father, and his service on the Stargazer under Ruhalter and Picard. She talked about her little sister, and how she missed her. She talked about her friends on the USS _Garrett_, and how she felt she had failed them, both the ones who died and worse, the ones who had been taken.

"Some nights, I wake up with that voice - the Borg - ringing in my ears," she confessed, her eyes faraway and haunted. "And I can hear them in there, asking why I let them be taken. I keep thinking that I should have done something more."

"I think the same thing about my friends in C-Sec," Garrus admitted, his voice soft.

"And I about my mother," Liara added, her tone morose.

"That's one reason why we fight," Shepard put in, his thoughts on Lieutenant Simm and others who had been taken on _Enterprise_. "To remember those we've lost, and avenge them."

Wrex stood up, went over to the replicator, and ordered six bottles of synthehol, four Ievo and two Dextro. He passed them around, making sure to give the right ones to the right people, and then he cracked his open.

"To those we've lost and those we've saved," he said gruffly. "Let's go kill some Borg in their honour."

"Hear, hear!" Garrus said loudly. The others echoed the cry as well, and then took swigs from their drinks - even Tali, who had a port ready for just such occasions. A moment later, Joker stepped into the lounge area.

"What, no drinks for me?" he asked.

"You're the designated driver, Joker," Shepard laughed. "Someone's got to get us home safe."

"Got to get you to Virmire safe first," the pilot retorted. His face was serious. "That's why I'm here. We're coming up on Virmire now."

Shepard sobered up quickly, his mirth - and that of his team - vanishing.

"How far out are we?" he asked.

"Half an hour," Joker replied. "Thought you ought to know."

With that, the pilot walked back into the cockpit, leaving the ground team alone with their thoughts. Each of them looked to the others, all of them thinking the same thing.

This was it.

* * *

Virmire was actually a lovely planet to look at from orbit: it reminded Shepard of Earth - blue oceans, green land. It made the thought of why they were there even more unpleasant. Whatever happened, the planet would be forever scarred by the Borg presence.

"Where am I looking, Captain?" Joker asked, his fingers dancing across the console.

"I don't know exactly," Shepard replied with a frown. "Try looking for Salarian life signs. Or Borg."

Joker nodded, tapping in a command. A moment later, he smiled, pulling up a map of a small area.

"Can anyone say bingo? Got a small group of Salarians holed up on a beach here," he said cheerily. "And a large concentration of Borg a click away, inside a large complex of some sort."

"That sounds like our guys," Shepard nodded. "Set us down near there. Keep an eye out for anti-air."

"You got it," Joker said, already beginning the landing sequence. He turned to look at Shepard with a quizzical expression. "Do the Borg even have that?"

"No need to tempt fate," the Captain replied grimly.

A moment later, the _Odysseus_ had set down on the beach: the sand glowed in the sunlight, and the water glimmered. A soft wind blew through the nearby trees, completing the picture of an idyllic paradise that had somehow become host to the madness of this war.

From the looks of things, the Salarians had set up a small base-camp here, a series of small, boxy white prefabs: easily built and easily abandoned if needs be. The minute the _Odysseus_ had finished it's landing procedure, it was surrounded by armed Salarian soldiers. Shepard stepped out, arms raised.

"Stand down! I'm Captain John Shepard, Federation Starfleet and a Council Spectre," he called out to the STG soldiers. "We came here to help you!"

"One ship?" one Salarian called out, sounding angry. "One measly shuttle?"

A Salarian with green skin stepped forward, frowning at Shepard even as he lowered his gun.

"I assume you're in charge here," Shepard said.

"Captain Kirrahe," the Salarian replied shortly. "Why the hell did you only bring one shuttle?"

"We only received garbled static on an emergency channel," Shepard said, slightly taken aback by Kirrahe's hostile response. "I came to investigate."

"Investigate?" Kirrahe sounded rather irritated. "That is a repetition of our task! I've lost half my men investigating this place!"

"Then I can only assume you've found something worth your time," Shepard retorted, slightly annoyed by the Salarian captain's manner. He had after all come to help these people.

"Yes," Kirrahe said shortly. "Meet me at my base after you've unloaded your troops, and I'll tell you everything we've discovered."

Shepard nodded as Kirrahe walked away, and turned to call back into the runabout.

"Everybody get suited up and get out here," he called. "I imagine we'll be getting into a fight soon enough."

"Good," Wrex commented, the first one to step out. "I like fights. Especially fights where I get to shoot things."

Shepard chuckled. "That, my friend, you'll be getting soon enough."

* * *

Once his team were out and ready, Shepard went to meet with Kirrahe in his makeshift base.

"The Borg are being led by the man who used to be Saren Arterius, a noted Spectre," the Salarian began. "Their facility here is a giant assimilation facility, processing hundreds of individuals. Including," Kirrahe added bitterly, "many of my own men."

"A factory, in other words," Shepard said, frowning at the thought,

"If you like," Kirrahe nodded. "It's also a makeshift shipyard. I believe this place is where the Borg have placed a forward staging post for an invasion of Citadel space."

"Might explain how a Borg Cube was able to get all the way to Palaven," Shepard said thoughtfully. "Comparatively speaking, this place is closer than their home space."

"True," Kirrahe said, frowning slightly. "They hit Palaven? How bad was it?"

"Bad enough," Shepard sighed, rubbing his face with his hand tiredly. "Forty turian ships and about seventeen Starfleet."

"Damn," Kirrahe swore. He leant back in his own chair. "It's clear we can't wait any longer for reinforcements. We have to do something ourselves."

Shepard leaned forward slightly at this, sensing the STG operative had something in mind.

"I take it you have a plan in mind?" he asked, hoping the answer was an affirmative.

"Yes," Kirrahe smiled, in a way that set Shepard's teeth on edge. "I do."


	21. We are the Vanguard of Perfection

**AN: This chapter will explain the connection between Borg and Reapers. I'll add an explanation for my decision here at the bottom, to answer any questions regarding why I did what I did here. Enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty: We Are The Vanguard Of Perfection**

The entire _Normandy_ ground team was sat around the makeshift briefing table the Salarians had set up in their prefab base. Kirrahe and Shepard sat at the head of the table. Shepard looked troubled but resigned, as though what he was about to say was the only choice he had, which unfortunately it was. Kirrahe looked excited - maybe overly excited, given that he was about to discuss a life or death plan.

The STG officer had explained to them all precisely what the Borg facility was. Their reactions had been, as Shepard expected, a mixture of disgust, apprehension and eagerness to go wreck the place. In that regard, Shepard had good news for them.

"Captain Kirrahe has come up with a plan to destroy the facility," he explained, frowning slightly. "It's difficult, but its the only thing that'll take this facility out."

He looked at Kirrahe, who took this as his cue to begin.

"Myself and my team will launch a frontal assault to distract the Borg's forces," he told the assembled officers, his voice surprisingly strong for a Salarian. "While this is taking place, a secondary team, code named Shadow, will led by Captain Shepard. They will infiltrate the Borg facility with transporter pattern enhancers. This team's objective will be to place the enhancers at the dead centre of the facility. Once they are in place, a single photon torpedo will be transported in, primed to explode after a short time. The Shadow team, as well as my men, will then be transported out."

"Sounds like a risky plan," Kaidan commented softly, looking troubled. "Attacking the Borg head on is the textbook definition of a suicide mission, especially with their disruptor adaptations."

"It is a suicide mission," Kirrahe agreed with a grim nod. "But each and every one of my men is ready to make that sacrifice. However..." Here he hesitated, and suddenly everyone had a bad feeling about what he was going to say. "I need one of you to come with me."

The _Normandy_ crew looked among each other, surprised at this request.

"Did you know about this, Captain?" Ashley asked. There was something odd in her tone that caught Shepard's attention, but he ignored it.

"Yes," he said with a tired nod. "Captain Kirrahe ran it by me during our meeting."

"And you approve?" she persisted.

"I don't like the idea of sending a crewman on a suicide mission," the Captain replied. He had a bad feeling he knew where this was going. "But to stop the Borg? Damn right I approve."

Ashley nodded, then stood up, standing to perfect attention.

"I volunteer for this assignment, sir," she said smartly, in such a way as to make it clear that if he denied her request, she'd probably go anyway. Shepard sighed inwardly. He had known she would react this way: he remembered his conversation with her about her reckless behaviour on the _Garrett_, about how she felt the only way to live up to her Grandfather's legacy was to die heroically. However, he couldn't just call her out on it here, in front of everyone, and as much as he hated to admit it, her volunteering made his life a lot easier.

"Alright, Ensign," he said, feeling more and more unhappy about the entire thing. "You'll go with Captain Kirrahe's men."

"Aye sir," Ashley said, almost smiling. "Thank you sir."

"Excellent," Kirrahe said, apparently not aware of what he'd just done. "With that sorted, I'll go ready my men. We go in thirty minutes."

He walked out of the small pre-fab, leaving the Starfleet crew alone.

"I want all of you to go ready yourselves," Shepard said to his team, who to their credit looked resolute, if in some cases nervous. "This'll be hard - one of the hardest missions we've been on. We won't be pushing Borg out of our territory, we'll be fighting them on their home turf. They'll know the layout, they'll have the advantage. I trust each and every one of you to do your best, no matter what we face in there."

The team looked heartened by his words, and slowly filed out - all except Ashley, who stayed behind, looking vaguely awkward.

"I thought you might want to speak with me, sir," she said. Shepard sighed - as a matter of fact, he did, and he had a feeling it wouldn't go completely smoothly.

"I think I mentioned something during our personal briefing about not throwing your life away, Ensign Williams," he commented, folding his arms as he spoke. The Ensign looked fairly defensive at his words.

"You also said, if a mission required self sacrifice, then you'd let it happen," she pointed out. "This mission requires self sacrifice, sir."

"Captain's call, not yours," Shepard snapped at her. He wasn't angry because she had volunteered - he was angry because he thought it was the wrong reason to volunteer.

"Then order me not to go!" Ashley yelled at him. He raised an eyebrow - that surprised him. She continued. "If you order me not to go, I won't. Someone else can go with Kirrahe's men. Otherwise, _deal_ with it!" She took a breath. "Sir," she added as an afterthought.

The two of them stood there for a moment, both equally angry with the other. Then Shepard sighed, and looked away.

"You volunteered, Ensign," he said. "You wanted to go for the suicide mission, for whatever reasons you had, and I'll respect that call." He looked her in the eye. "But I expect you to make it back in one piece."

"I'll do my best sir," Ashley promised with a nod.

* * *

Thirty minutes passed faster than Shepard would have liked, and soon the time had come to move out.

Kirrahe's team and Shepard's team moved at the same time, weapons out, movements efficient. Kirrahe's team did as they said they would, heading for the main entrance to the Borg complex and beginning an assault. Shepard's team meanwhile headed for the rear of the complex, across a series of small outposts and walkways that were easily cleared of the handful of Borg sentries left behind.

Shepard, for his part, hated the entire plan, but it didn't matter; it was the only plan they had, and without it they had no way to stop the Borg threat here.

His team moved swiftly and efficiently, taking out hostiles as they went with quick bursts of IMod and TR-116 fire. As they did so, they head updates from Kirrahe's team.

"_Bunker down, draw them out." "Fire on their left!" "Incoming fire, keep down...!_"

The transmissions weren't one hundred percent reassuring, but then again, Shepard hadn't expected them to be. After all, this was a suicide mission.

Quickly, they had managed to fight their way to a series of walkways that led to the rear of the facility. With a sharp hand gesture, Shepard motioned for Tali to find a way in while he and the rest of the team covered her. More Borg were coming out of various access points, or from other parts of the walkways, and though the IMod's and TR-116's were proving their worth, no one could hold off this many enemies forever. A disruptor blast impacted near Shepard, but fortunately his Hazard suit absorbed the splash.

"Found an access console, Captain," Tali reported after a moment. "Give me a moment!"

"We don't _have_ a moment, Lieutenant," Shepard called back. "Get us a way in, now!"

Tali grunted in response and quickened the pace of her hacking. A moment later, she yelled in triumph.

"Got it!" she called to the team. "Hurry, though, I don't know how long it'll last."

The group fell back, firing as they did so. More Borg fell, but even more were coming.

"I hope Kirrahe's having a better time of it," Kaidan commented.

"Don't worry about them for now," Shepard said sharply. "Just focus on our half of it."

"Aye sir," Kaidan nodded, understanding.

The entranceway was, as most Borg architecture tended to be, dark and foreboding. There were empty regeneration alcoves all around them, a testament both to how many Borg were here and how many Borg were active. It was definitely not a pleasant reminder.

"_A lot of Borg are retreating back towards the facility,_" Shepard heard Kirrahe's voice on the comm. "_They may be going after Shadow team_."

"_We have to do something!_" Ashley's voice spoke.

"_We are_," Kirrahe snapped. "_Our job. And they are doing theirs. There's nothing else to be done."_

Harsh, but unfortunately all too true. Shepard sighed, regretting the radio silence that was part of his team's side of the mission. He took point, leading his team onwards.

They walked through a door and across a catwalk, where they heard a voice calling out.

"Is there somebody out there?" the voice called. "Hello?"

Shepard looked down over the catwalk - there was a Salarian behind a force field, in what appeared to be a... Shepard gulped. It was an assimilation chamber. It was empty of completed Borg, but there were at least a half dozen partially assimilated individuals lying on beds, in various stages of 'completion'.

"There's someone unassimilated down there," Garrus said urgently. "We have to help him!"

"You're right," Shepard said softly. "Come on."

They walked into the next room, taking down the two Borg guards that were there, before descending the ramp to the lower level. Once they got to the assimilation chamber, they saw him: a Salarian soldier standing behind a force field. He seemed relieved to see them.

"You're Starfleet, yes?" he said. "Am I glad to see you!"

"Identify yourself," Shepard asked.

"Lieutenant Ganto Immess," the Salarian replied. "Captured while on patrol. Thought I'd be assimilated, but they appear to have scheduled me for last. Lucky for me." He gestured at the half assimilated Salarians. "Not so for them."

Shepard turned to look at the half assimilated victims. He sighed, then gestured to Wrex, who took out a phaser and shot them, one by one.

"What are you doing?!" Imness yelled, shocked.

"The merciful thing," Shepard replied. He unlocked the forcefield, letting the Salarian out, and handed him an IMod from his buffer, switching to a TR-116 for himself. "We're blowing this facility. Run as fast and as far as you can. This weapon will get you past any Borg you meet."

"I... thank you," Imness said. "Before I go, you ought to know: I think they're experimenting with a new form of assimilation."

"New form?" Shepard was confused. What could that mean?

"I don't know the details, I only know what I saw," the Salarian former prisoner said urgently. "They did something to the minds of my team while they were imprisoned. Good men walked willingly to the assimilation tables - without any sign of nanoprobe infection." He shuddered slightly. "Before you ask, I don't know why it wasn't done to me, I'm just grateful for it."

If what the Salarian was telling him was true, this was a terrible development. The Borg's assimilation had been something that could be avoided before. Now? Who knew?

"Thanks for the intel," he said to Imness. "Now get moving!"

"Yes, I will," Imness replied, starting to jog. "Thank you again!"

"A new form of assimilation?" Garrus commented. "That could spell real trouble for the Citadel races and the Federation."

"You're telling me," Shepard sighed, unsure what to think. He shrugged the thoughts off for the moment: they had a mission to complete. "Come on. We need to move."

* * *

They continued on through the facility, clearing out any Borg that were unlucky enough to run into them. Shepard couldn't help but wonder precisely what was going to happen next, but his mind was mainly preoccupied with the idea of an upgraded assimilation process. It was terrifying, the thought that the Borg had just become even more efficient in their chosen method of destroying people's lives. Shepard couldn't help but wonder if this had anything to do with the Reapers...

The team eventually reached a large room, empty aside from a single artefact.

"A beacon!" Kaidan called out, pointing down a ramp. At the bottom of said ramp stood an object identical to the Prothean beacon Shepard had seen on Eden Prime, apparently unaltered by any Borg technology.

"What's a beacon doing here?" Liara asked, entranced by the sight of working Prothean technology.

"Most likely the Borg wanted control of any Prothean technology they could get their hands on," Garrus theorised.

"Or maybe," Tali postulated, "there's more information in this beacon than was present in the other?"

Shepard couldn't help but be drawn to the artefact: his experiences with the beacon on Eden Prime, coupled with his receiving the race memory of the Protheans from Shiala, made him acutely aware of the controls at the bottom of the beacon. The console seemed to beckon him closer, as though activating it was something he needed to do.

"Maybe if Shepard used this one, it might give him more info about what the Borg are after?" Kaidan commented, as if echoing the thoughts in Shepard's mind.

Only one way to find out," the Captain replied. He walked up to the beacon, pressed a few controls, and waited. A moment later, the green glow increased in intensity. Suddenly, images flashed through Shepard's mind, images of death and destruction - a warning, he realised, his new knowledge giving him insight. One for the entire Prothean empire, though far too late to save them. But there was something more.

_Reapers... Cannot be stopped... The Great Enemy... Ilos project..._

And as suddenly as the images had flooded his mind, they ceased, leaving Shepard crouched on the floor, breathing heavily.

"Shepard, are you ok?" Tali's voice seemed to be coming from very far away. He slowly pushed himself to his feet, still unsteady after the encounter with the beacon.

"I'm..." He didn't know whether he was fine or not, but it wouldn't do to worry his team when they still had a mission to complete. "I'm ok. Let's get back to it."

As he ascended the ramp and moved to leave the room, though, the lights flickered, and then they dimmed. A large, vaguely aquatic shape appeared - it's lines were harsh and mechanical, a blood red holographic projection. Shepard frowned at it: it looked almost... familiar...

"Is that some kind of VI?" Garrus wondered aloud.

"**Intruders in the complex, near the Prothean artefact**," a harsh metallic voice spoke, full of inflections that no normal Virtual Intelligence should have been able to make. "**Your presence was not unanticipated.**"

"I don't think this is a VI," Liara opined, her eyes wide in a combination of awe and fear.

"**Rudimentary creatures of blood and flesh, imperfect and now obsolete,**" the image said, somehow conveying a glare brimming with malevolence despite lacking eyes. "**You seek answers to irrelevant questions. You chase illogical goals. Your time is at an end.**"

"You're..." Shepard couldn't believe what he was seeing. "You're a Reaper."

"**_Reaper_**," the thing said, almost musing on the word. "**A name given to us by the Protheans to give voice to their destruction. In the end, irrelevant. What we are called is irrelevant. We simply are.**" It paused, almost thoughtfully. "**I was at one time destined to be the herald of your destruction. Instead, I will be the vanguard of your perfection. I am Sovereign."**

Shepard knew it was futile, but he had to try talking to the thing, convincing it to stand down somehow. "I'm Captain Shepard of the USS..."

"**John Shepard, Captain of the USS ****_Normandy_****, registry NCC 90000. We are aware of your designation,**" Sovereign said, it's voice - and vocal patterns - all too familiar to Shepard.

"You're Borg," he said.

That seemed to give Sovereign pause for a moment. "**We are not. The Borg are different.**" There was another pause. "**They were a different solution. They did not develop as we had anticipated, as species always develop during the cycles. They had adapted, avoided the trap organic life has fallen into since before the cycle began, and so we approached them to discover why. Exchanges were made. A new goal was found, one that best fit the new data and new information."**

"What is it saying?" Kaidan muttered in an undertone. Shepard, however, understood.

"You destroyed the Protheans," he said with mounting disgust and horror in his voice. "And the ones before them. But the Borg were more than you anticipated, or different somehow."

The Reaper again paused for thought, considering Shepard's words.

"**They are a synthesis,"** Sovereign finally said. "**A synthesis between the organic and the technological. They circumvent the usual pattern, the pattern we have seen countless times. With our help, they will be the ultimate pinnacle of evolution. The cycle will end."**

"What cycle?" Shepard asked.

"**The cycle of destruction,**" Sovereign answered. "**We come. We harvest. We leave. It has been this way for many millennia, but it cannot continue for eternity. The synthesis is a new solution."**

"What if we don't want to be part of that synthesis?!" Shepard yelled, suddenly furious. How dare this machine try to impose itself? "What if we prefer to die with our individuality intact?!"

"**Then you will die,"** Sovereign said, it's voice filled with the simple matter-of-fact manner that one would expect from a machine. "**Either option continues to solve the problem we were created to remedy. The synthesis of all life worthy in this galaxy will continue, until all are part of perfection. It is inevitable. Your resistance is, and always will be, futile. This exchange is over."**

The hologram vanished, it's purpose complete.

"Well, _that_ was suitably terrifying," Garrus said, his levity puncturing the tension only slightly. Shepard cursed. Whatever the Reapers were, this one had apparently joined the Borg, seeing their way of thinking as logical. Who knew, maybe one was responsible for the other? That, however, was a question for a time when lives weren't riding on Shepard's decisions.

"Alright," he said, his voice grim, "let's get going with this."

He only hoped they could still defeat the forces here - and more importantly, that they could defeat the forces that were still out there.

* * *

**AN: So... that happened.**

**It only seemed logical to me, when planning out the relationship between Borg and Reapers, that the Reapers would be aware of alternatives to their cycle of destruction. It also struck me that the Borg were oddly similar to one of the Star Child's/Catalyst's solutions at the end of Mass Effect 3, namely the Synthesis ending. That being the case in my estimation, as well as consideration of several tech similarities between Borg and Reapers, I decided that Sovereign encountered the Borg and the two effectively merged: the Borg become more powerful with the addition of Reaper tech like weapons and kinetic shields (which, mind you, they would have assimilated anyway) as well as Sovereign's millennia of knowledge, and Sovereign not only figures out a solution that ends the cycles - because at 'heart', for want of a better term, I reckon the Reapers do want the cycles to end, if only because they don't work perfectly (even if a more perfect solution has yet to be found) - but brings everything closer to a new kind of perfection (the fact that I'm comparing the Borg with the results of the Synthesis ending should tell you how much I dislike the green option). Otherwise known as, Sovereign and the Borg are equally batshit crazy, and they joined forces to do crazy shit.**

**Obviously, you might disagree with me that any of this stuff makes the slightest bit of sense, and I am more than happy for you to do so. That is, however, the basis for all Reaper/Borg involvement in this series. Hope that clears everything up for those who wondered precisely what the hell was going down, and that you don't think I jumped the shark too badly there.**


	22. I am Free

**AN: This'll be the last update for about two or three days, as I'm going away from any area with Internet. I know I've been updating insanely fast, but I'm sure no one minds a couple of days waiting.**

**Incidentally, this is my vision of Virmire's choice. I hope no one is too upset, but I have tried to seed this in as a "character arc" thing for a few chapters.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty One: I Am Free.**

The squad continued on their way through the facility, shooting through more Borg as they went. The exact location selected for the photon torpedo beam in was directly ahead, through a few doors.

Despite the fact that they weren't out of the woods yet, Shepard couldn't help but be preoccupied with his conversation with the Reaper. From the memories that had come from the beacon, he knew the Reapers of old had been powerful enough to destroy an entire Empire. He didn't know whether their technological level would have threatened Starfleet before they met the Borg, but he had to assume so. That, in and of itself, would have been enough to make Shepard worry about the future of the Starfleet.

Now though? Now the Borg and the Reapers had joined forces, becoming... hell, he didn't know what they had become, only that it was a bigger threat than either had been alone. A 'synthesis', Sovereign had said. It was a terrifying concept.

After a few moments and shooting through a few more Borg guards, shadow team reached the courtyard where they would plant the photon torpedo. Shepard gestured for Garrus and Wrex to secure one entranceway, and Kaidan and Liara to cover the other.

He tapped his combadge. "Shepard to _Odysseus_. Send me that Trojan Horse."

"_Oh, is that what we're calling it now?_" Joker's voice came through his combadge tinnily, sounding remarkably flippant all things considered. "_And here I thought..."_

"Joker, now!" Shepard snapped, not in the mood for the helmsman's esoteric humour.

"_Aye sir,_" Joker replied sharply. A moment later, a photon torpedo beamed in, it's casing shiny black. It seemed such an innocuous thing.

Tali ran over to it to begin finalising the settings for it's detonation.

"Thank the Goddess we're leaving!" Liara called out. "I'm starting to dislike this place!"

"Only starting?" Garrus retorted. "You're more tolerant than I am. I'm just eager to see the place go up in flames!"

Shepard smiled at the banter between his team, and tapped his combadge again.

"Shepard to Williams. Package is in position. Get your ass to the rendezvous point, now!"

* * *

Ashley Williams shot another Borg down, her TR-116 beeping at her to remind her that she was low on ammunition. She reloaded, frowning, and fired again. More Borg fell to her shots, and yet somehow, never enough.

"Williams!" Kirrahe called, firing from near her. "Any word from Shepard?!"

"None yet!" she called back, continuing to fire. Even as she spoke the words however, her combadge beeped.

_"Shepard to Williams. Package is in position. Get your ass to the rendezvous point, now!"_

"Kirrahe!" Ashley called. "Got the message, we need to move!"

"You heard her!" the Salarian STG officer called to his surviving men. "We're falling back to the extraction point. All teams, let's move!"

A fair few Salarians had survived, their fighting skill quite contrasting their willowy appearance. Williams could honestly say, apart from Captain Shepard she had never fought alongside people this skilled or brave in her life. Together, she and the STG teams had managed to fight their way through the Borg facility, causing havoc and generally making the cybernetic assholes' lives hell. Exactly what Ashley always loved doing. Every Borg she killed was revenge for the people who had died or worse on the way to this point: the crew of the Garrett. The survivors of Eden Prime. Liara's friend and her mother. The crews of the Starfleet and turian ships over Palaven. All of them.

As they proceeded through the facility to the extraction point, Ashley couldn't help but glance around her at all the regeneration alcoves, assimilation chambers, laboratories... she hated being surrounded by all this Borg tech. It only made the whispering louder. Usually she could hear the Borg only when she was around them, and the voices were always too faint to make out clearly. They were like a subconscious itch that she couldn't get rid of.

In this place though?

**_Three of Six, maintenance on section B... hostile forces have infiltrated primary subprocessing matrix..._**

**_Ashley Williams... you were assimilated, but you were taken from us... you were to be Eight of Sixteen, Primary Tactical Drone of Unimatrix 42... your place among us is prepared. Join us..._**

She shook her head.

As much as she hated to admit it, some small part of her was almost tempted by the offer, almost wanted to submit to the will of the Hive... to be free of individual cares, to be part of the greater whole. To be part of perfection...

_As a slave? Thanks, but no thanks. Besides, the wardrobe is crap._

The thoughts were strong, but more and more she felt the will behind them slipping. She shot Borg with increased enthusiasm to counteract the effect, each drone she killed accompanied by a mantra. "I am free. I am free." It did nothing to silence the whispers, but it sure made ignoring them a lot easier for her: the equivalent of putting her fingers in her ears and going "la, la, la, la" every time someone near her spoke.

After a couple of minutes of this, they reached the rendezvous point. Shepard looked relieved to see them - Ashley could understand why. She had wanted to die for the Federation, and he must have thought she saw this mission was a chance to do that. She did, but she wasn't going to deliberately seek death doing it, that wasn't her style.

"Good to see you've made it," the Captain said with a smile.

"Thank you sir," she replied, smiling back. She looked at the torpedo - Tali was busy finalising some of the commands to enter into the thing to make it detonate. The rest of the squad was firing down a corridor - it looked like the Borg had some issues with the Starfleet team's plan. Ashley was cheered by that. Anything that pissed them off was good with her.

"Right," Shepard said, shifting her attention back to the moment. "Everyone get ready to beam out."

Kirrahe's men went first - they had been here the longest, and deserved to leave after everything they had been through. Next went Tali and Garrus, then Wrex and Liara. Ashley took over the cover fire position by the entrance the team had come through, while Kaidan triple checked the torpedo. More Borg drones approached, and Ashley could still hear the whispering.

**_You belong with us, Ashley Williams... we are one. With us, you will have purpose... with us, everything you are will be preserved forever... join us, as Eight of Sixteen._**

She ignored it as best she could - but there was no doubt in her mind, it was getting stronger, harder to ignore.

"Looks good sir," Kaidan's voice said, feeling like it came from far away. "Final detonation set for three minutes on your command, Captain."

"Three minutes?!" Ashley called back at them. "That's three minutes too long, the Borg can easily disarm it in that time!"

Shepard apparently agreed, since he was still standing there, thinking something through.

"Options?" he finally asked. Kaidan looked deep in thought for a moment, then came to a decision.

"Only one," he said, his voice oddly calm and detached. "Leave me behind. I hold off the Borg, and make sure the thing goes off."

"You mean leave you here to die?!" Shepard asked, sounding horrified.

"Yes sir," Kaidan nodded. "Not overly happy about it myself, but it's the only thing I can think of."

Ashley took out another Borg drone that was trying to reach the courtyard with a shot to it's head - for now at least, there were no more drones. She stepped away from the doorway, sealed it (though it wouldn't hold forever), and walked towards Shepard and Kaidan.

"No way!" she yelled. "If anyone's staying behind here, its me!"

"Williams," Shepard said, his tone of voice remarkably dangerous.

"No sir, you don't understand," Ashley said quickly to cut off any remarks he might make. "I don't just want to do this to die heroically. I..." She cursed under her breath, unable to think of the best way to word it. "I need to do this. Before they take me."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kaidan asked.

"I..." Ashley felt stupid even thinking it. "I can hear them, sir."

"That?" Kaidan said, frowning, while Shepard looked confused. "We talked about that, but it's probably just a side effect of..."

"No!" Ashley snapped. "It's gotten stronger. I can hear them speaking properly now."

Shepard looked suitably troubled by this information, and Ashley could see why, but she couldn't let him speak before she was finished.

"Sir..." she said, desperately hoping he got her point, "I _need_ this. I need you to let me die now. I want to die as me."

"Williams," Kaidan pointed out, "there's no guarantee that you're even being affected by the Borg to that extent. For all you know..."

"Imness mentioned this," Shepard cut Kaidan off, sounding resigned. "A new kind of assimilation. Salarians walking to the assimilation tables willingly, without being nanoprobe infected."

"How can that be affecting Williams?" Kaidan asked, confused.

"She _was_ briefly assimilated," Shepard said softly. "That must have left some kind of imprint."

Ashley nodded. That made all kinds of regrettably twisted but logical sense. If there was some kind of new assimilation technique, and if it did affect people without nanoprobe infection, why wouldn't it have left something in her?

Kaidan looked upset. "Even if that is the case, we can't just leave her to die!"

"I'm not going in some lab to be studied for years," Ashley said vehemently. "Let me die now, stopping them here. It's the right choice."

Kaidan looked ready to protest, but Shepard held up a hand to forestall any more comments from him.

"If you're certain?" he asked. She nodded in confirmation, and he sighed. "Alright. Alenko, set up the explosion, then we'll beam out."

Kaidan looked like he was going to refuse the order, but then he sighed.

"Yes sir," he said. He walked over to the torpedo and began inputting commands. Ashley walked over to him.

"You know it's the right choice, Lieutenant," she said.

"I don't know anything of the sort," he replied sharply. He looked up at her. "But what I _do_ know is that I respect your right to do this. And I respect you." He inputted a final command, and held out his hand. Ashley took it. "It's been an honour Ensign Williams."

Ashley smiled.

"My honour, sir," she replied.

Kaidan nodded, and walked over to the beam out point where Shepard already stood. The Captain didn't say anything, but gave a nod of respect. Ashley smiled, and the Captain tapped his combadge.

"Shepard to _Odysseus_. Two to beam out."

A moment later, he and Kaidan disappeared into blue light. Ashley sighed, checked her TR-116, and readied herself. Beyond the door to the courtyard - and in her mind - the Borg were trying to get in.

**_Join us, Eight of Sixteen..._**

"My name is Ashley Williams," she said aloud, aiming her rifle at the entranceway as it opened and Borg started marching toward her, their mechanical gait terrifying her but giving her purpose. "Rank, Ensign. Tactical officer USS _Normandy_. And I am free."

* * *

It was the longest three minutes of Captain John Shepard's life, but he insisted on waiting and watching - if he couldn't save her, he could honour her sacrifice by giving it the witnessing it deserved. Next to him, Kaidan looked solemn, clearly determined to watch as well: oth of them were utterly silent for the entire time, neither looking at the other. The expressions on their faces kept anyone else from approaching them, the others realising - wisely - that the two men were in no mood to explain what had occurred.

At three minutes, a light flared up on the side of the planet - a flash of yellow white that marked the death of one of the finest officers either man had worked with. The two of them watched silently for a moment, both wrapped up in their own thoughts.

"It should have been me," Alenko said finally, his voice grim and defeated.

Shepard let that comment linger in the air for a moment, before replying. He didn't ate know how to deal with situations like this: he had never ordered people to their death before, and it felt like a failure.

"One day," he said slowly, after a long pause, "you'll have your own command, and you'll have to make these kind of decisions. It isn't easy, Kaidan."

"I understand your decision, sir," Kaidan replied after a moment. "It had to be done. I just wish it had been me."

"Yes, it _did_ have to be done," Shepard replied looking at him. "But it never gets easier, Alenko. Understand that." He looked down at Virmire. "Ensign Williams was a fine officer, and she was a friend."

"Yeah," Kaidan said softly. "She was."

They stayed there in silence for a long time.

* * *

The mood on the _Odysseus_ on the flight back was understandably morose. Everyone was shocked that Ashley wasn't with them: she had become part of the team, someone they were used to. To have her not be there was just... none of them knew how to feel. Even Joker was somber.

The Salarians kept to themselves for the most part, but Captain Kirrahe took a moment to speak with Shepard.

"Ashley Williams' sacrifice will not be forgotten," he said softly. "I would like you to know that without her help, we would have been killed many times over. If you ever need the help of me or my team, consider it yours. It is the least we can offer."

Shepard nodded, grateful for the STG officer's words, and yet he couldn't bring himself to not blame the man slightly. There might have been another way... but those thoughts were unworthy of him. He knew, as well as anyone, that choice had not been abundant in that hour.

Later, the team were sat in the lounge in silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts. It was a stark contrast between the way the group had talked and chatted on the way to Virmire.

"At least," Wrex said after a long while, his voice surprisingly quiet for a Krogan, "she died as a warrior, killing her enemies and winning the battle for her side."

It was an oddly Klingon thought, Shepard mused, although he supposed two warrior races would have similar opinions about death. It did cheer him up though, and he nodded with a soft smile.

"She took the time to help me with learning how to use this equipment," Liara remembered. "She was very patient."

"And she was a great shot," Garrus added, laughing slightly. "You could always rely on Ashley Williams in a firefight."

And so it went on, each of them sharing an anecdote about Williams. There they sat, remembering their lost friend, for the vast majority of the trip back to the _Normandy_.

* * *

When they got back to the ship some time later, Shepard stepped onto the bridge with a renewed sense of purpose. He had struck a blow against the Borg, and more importantly, learned something more about their plans. It was about to get even better though.

"Captain," Pressly said, standing up from the centre seat as Shepard walked onto the bridge. "I have news sir."

"What news?" Shepard asked.

"The Citadel Council contacted us three hours ago, wanting to speak to you," the XO replied. "I think it was something to do with their response to the Borg threat. They said we should report to the Citadel immediately."

"Excellent," Shepard smiled. He turned to Joker, who had stepped onto the bridge behind him. "Joker, set a course for the Citadel, full speed."

Joker nodded in reply, a grim smile on his face, and moved to take his station. Shepard sat in his chair. Though he had lost a good officer, and a friend, things were finally starting to look up in their campaign.

"Course laid in sir," Joker reported after a moment. Shepard leaned forward in his chair, and moved his front two fingers in unconscious mimicry of a great Captain he had served under.

"Engage."


	23. Council Politicking, Reloaded

**Chapter Twenty Two: Council Politicking, Reloaded.**

On the way to the Citadel, Shepard decided to discuss his vision from the beacon on Virmire with Liara, the only person on board who could understand it. He found her in sickbay, still talking with her friend Shiala, who had remained on board since Feros, still being helped with the recovery from her assimilation. The Asari looked considerably healthier than when last Shepard had last seen her, something which made him feel immeasurably better about this entire mission. For every loss, a person restored, for every defeat, a victory.

"Liara," he said softly. "How are you?"

"Well," she replied, smiling slightly. "I am still a little rattled from Ensign Williams' death, but my species has learned to cope with people dying."

"I imagine that would be necessary, given your long lives," Shepard replied, sitting opposite her.

"Yes," Liara nodded. "But that isn't why you're here."

Shepard nodded once in confirmation. "When I had the vision from the second beacon, I heard a name, and I was wondering whether it was one you're familiar with from your research."

"Alright," Liara said, leaning forward, interested. "Tell me the name."

"Well, I heard a reference to something called 'the Ilos project'," Shepard said. He tilted his head, looking for any reaction from Liara. "Is that the name of a place, or something else you might have heard of?"

She frowned thoughtfully.

"I remember no reference to a specific Ilos project, given that it's been fifty thousand years" she said slowly, running things through her mind as she spoke, "but Ilos is a name I've heard in my research." Her eyes widened, suddenly making connections. "Ilos was said to be beyond the Mu relay!"

"It's a connection," Shepard added quickly, realising that it was all coming together now. "The Borg wanted the location of the Mu relay, that's why they used the Rachni queen - they needed to find Ilos!"

"The Council and your Starfleet command must hear of this when you see them," Liara said grimly. "This may be the tipping point we need to win this conflict."

"I agree," Shepard said with a smile. "I'll forward along a report with this intelligence, and see what the Councillors think of it when I meet with them."

He turned to leave, but before he did, he looked at Liara.

"What do you think is at Ilos?" he asked.

"I couldn't tell you," Liara replied, frowning, "only that whatever it is, the Borg must not have access to it!"

"Agreed," Shepard nodded, determination etched into his face. With that, he left the sickbay, now more certain than ever that he was on the way to winning this battle for the Federation, and stopping the Borg.

* * *

He wrote and sent the report to the Council - as well as to Anderson - as soon as he had left Sickbay, eagerly typing out the thing as quickly as he could. He tailed it off with a recommendation to assemble a fleet and enter the Ilos system to catch the Borg off guard while they could. He didn't know how they'd take it, but he hoped they'd see the logic of his position.

When the _Normandy_ reached the Citadel a few hours later,it was all Shepard could do not to run to see what the Councillors had to say. His orders were for his crew to take a day's shore leave, and they gratefully took it - the ground team needed something to take their minds off of the death of Ashley, and the rest of the crew needed something to take their minds off of the all-too-fresh memories of the battle at Palaven. Shepard however was in no mood for shore leave, but instead found himself rushing to get the support he knew he was about to get.

When he arrived at the Council chambers at the top of the Citadel tower, he found Commodore Anderson waiting for him, as well as, to his great surprise, Captain Picard. The two were standing at the bottom of the stairs, in deep conversation - no doubt about recent Borg actions.

"Sir!" he said in surprise.

"Captain Shepard," Picard replied, holding out a hand that the younger man shook happily. "You've done remarkably, these past few weeks. You should be proud of yourself. I'm only sorry the _Enterprise_ missed the battle at Palaven."

"You missed a hell of a party, sir," Shepard smiled warmly. "Wish you'd been there." He meant that - Palaven had been a victory, but Shepard was certain that it would have been less of a close run thing had Picard and his experience fighting the Borg been present.

"It wouldn't have been a party at all without your intervention," Picard pointed out reasonably. "Your leadership in the battle helped the allied fleet secure victory, and stopped the Borg in their tracks. Very well done."

"Thank you sir." Shepard felt humbled by such effusive praise from his former commanding officer - he had always had a great respect for Picard's leadership, and this was why. "Although I have a sneaking suspicion that it was a diversionary attack."

Picard frowned, and nodded. "Unfortunately, I've been thinking much the same thing. It makes no sense for the Borg not to attack one of the most defended worlds in this area of space without a larger fleet."

"Probably to keep Starfleet from destroying the base on Virmire," Anderson put in, and Picard nodded.

"That makes sense," he said.

"Actually," Shepard countered, "I think it's something to do with Ilos."

Anderson looked at him, an nodded slowly. Picard looked mildly confused, but waited for someone to explain rather than demanding an explanation.

"I've read the report," Anderson said slowly. "If Ilos is beyond the Mu relay, the Prothean Beacon mentioned Ilos, and the Borg wanted to find the relay, then there's a lot of circumstantial stuff building up. Too much to ignore, in my mind," he added.

"I think that's why I've been asked to come here," Shepard said, nodding at Anderson's summation. He looked from Picard to Anderson. "I was summoned to speak with the Citadel Council - I don't suppose either of you know what this is about, exactly?"

The two exchanged somewhat unhappy glances that made Shepard slightly worried - for the first time since leaving the _Normandy_, he wasn't sure whether his being here was a good thing.

"No, Captain, we don't," Anderson said. "But don't expect the best."

"Why?" Shepard asked, confused by this. Surely the Citadel was mobilising their fleets, galvanised by his actions.

"The Council got your latest report several hours ago," Anderson explained, folding his arms, "and they've been in constant conversation with Udina since then."

Speaking of the ambassador, he appeared a moment later at the top of the steps. He didn't look happy at all, and Shepard was left wondering what precisely had occurred to make him look so pensive.

"Shepard, come up here," he said, sounding grim. "The Council is ready for you."

Shepard exchanged glances with Picard and Anderson, and after a moment ascended the stairs, meeting Udina at the top. The Council was dead ahead, looking remarkably stern.

"Shepard," Sparatus greeted him, nodding with something resembling respect. The other Councillors were silent.

"Councillors," the Captain replied, bowing his head slightly. "You requested my presence?"

"For several reasons," Tevos said softly. She held up a datapad, coughed slightly, and began reading. "According to this pad, in your last few missions you have undertaken some... questionable actions."

"Questionable?" Shepard asked, confused. Everything he had done he felt was justifiable. "In what respect, Councillor?"

"Releasing the Rachni queen, for one thing," Valern said sharply, glowering at the Captain. "It took many years of sacrifice and hardship to eliminate the threat of the Rachni and you just decided to let the Queen go."

"I did," Shepard nodded. "The Federation Prime Directive prohibits interference in the natural order of a species' evolution. Committing genocide would certainly have been interference."

"Did you not think of the consequences of your actions?" Sparatus asked, sounding angry now. "It may prove that because of your actions, we need to go to war against the Rachni again, something we barely managed with the aid of the Krogan before!"

Shepard couldn't believe this - he was here to be _berated_?! After everything he had done?! Reigning in his anger, Shepard nodded at the Councillors.

"I did what I felt was right," he said. "Had I committed genocide against the Rachni, it would have gone against my principles. And I doubt you would have been rushing to praise me about it," he added with narrowed eyes.

"Mind your tone," Valern reprimanded him. "And then there are your actions on Virmire. The detonation of a photon torpedo on a planet's soil...!"

"That plan, Councillor Valern, was concocted by Captain Kirrahe of your own people's STG," Shepard reminded the Councillor. "If you have issue with that, take it up with him."

"You agreed to the plan," Tevos pointed out acidly.

"I used my judgement, as well as the wide leeway given by this Council's authority, to make a call," Shepard retorted angrily, "a difficult call with little support or chance thereof in the time allotted. The result was the loss of many fine people, but the destruction of a major Borg installation as well. I call that an acceptable outcome."

A white lie - he hadn't thought of the Council's opinion or the leeway they gave him when making the call, mainly because he didn't think they'd object to defeating the Borg. What would they have preferred, that he detonate a nuclear bomb? At least the torpedo wouldn't leave fallout.

"And then there are your actions on Feros," Sparatus added.

"Which were, unless I am very much mistaken, an internal Starfleet matter," Shepard pointed out. "I sent you a copy of that report due to it partially pertaining to the Council's continued conflict with the Borg. Other than that, it had no bearing on my mission."

"If you say so," Valern said, sounding unconvinced. "I personally think the encounter with a rogue Starfleet operative might well prove important."

"To Starfleet," Shepard replied, frowning. "I note none of you are choosing to comment on the information regarding Ilos."

"What would you like us to say?" Sparatus said, shrugging. "Visions are not permissible as military intelligence, and the fact that the Borg sought the Mu relay is coincidental at best."

"Your recommendation comes from a faulty premise, and has been discounted," Valern said, reiterating Sparatus' point in a way that left little doubt what was happening.

"I see," Shepard said, nodding thoughtfully. "Well then, why did you call me here?"

"To remove your Spectre rank and ground you," Tevos said at once.

Shepard's eyes widened in shock. If Shepard had been told that Tevos was his secret long lost mother and that Sparatus was his father, he couldn't have been more surprised.

"For what reason?" he managed to get out.

"Since becoming a Spectre, while you have stopped several major Borg threats, you have been lacklustre in reporting to the Council," Valern said matter of factly. "Combining that with the questionable actions, it is easy to see why."

"Indeed," Shepard said softly, still shell-shocked. "I'll take your word for it."

"Shepard," Sparatus added heavily, "you saved Palaven. Your actions in the battle prevented the Borg from taking my home world. With that in mind, we," and here the turian gave his colleagues a glare, "have agreed that your Spectre status should be upholder and a review launched into the effects of your actions to determine whether they were justified. Until then, however, you must remain grounded."

"Udina," Tevos called. Ambassador Udina came up behind Shepard. "I take it your government will enforce the grounding of Shepard and the _Normandy_?"

Her tone brooked no argument, and Udina - much as it didn't seem to make him too happy - seemed unwilling to offer one.

"Yes, Councillor," the ambassador said heavily. "We will."

Shepard said nothing, turning his back on the Council who had turned their back on him. From the sounds of it, they had nothing to say to him anyway. He followed Udina down the stairs.

"Shepard," the ambassador said as they walked, "I want you to meet me in my office in five hours."

"Why?" the Captain said bitterly. He was too busy seething from his treatment at the hands of the Council to much care about protocol at this point.

"Just do it," Udina said sharply, frowning angrily. "Bring Anderson and Picard. We're not done yet."

With that, Udina walked off, leaving Shepard on his own. The Captain frowned, trying to figure out precisely what the politician had in mind, but his mind turned up a blank. Defeated, he left the Council chambers.

* * *

The drone once known as Saren observed the world before him and, in a small remnant of what he used to be, smiled.

Setback after setback and the Collective had pressed on - it was their way. They would be the bulldozer, forcing their way through whatever opposition they faced. Nothing would stand before them.

They were, Sovereign had wisely realised, the solution to the eternal stalemate, the destruction of creator by created - by uniting both, they had achieved and would continue to achieve perfection, a perfect union of trillions upon trillions of minds. They were the Synthesis, the pinnacle of evolution made real.

Despite every setback - despite the fact that they faced off against a determined Federation and a powerful Citadel Council - they had managed to reach their destination: the planet designated Ilos. Here, according to what intelligence they could gather from the Prothean beacons, they would find something that might explain why the Reaper Sovereign's initial attempts to summon reinforcements from the Dark Space had been unsuccessful, and then they would be able to reverse whatever had been done and bring the Reapers through, as Sovereign had originally planned - except that this time, the Reapers would come to join perfection, not merely to destroy.

There was no doubt in the Collective's mind, strengthened as it was by Sovereign, it's acceptance of them and theirs of it, and it's resolve to make the others listen, that once the other Reapers arrived they would join with them. Once that happened, a crusade of Borg cubes and Reapers would descend upon the skies of every world, assimilating all that stood before it. There would be no dissent, only victory eternal - they were the Borg, bringing perfection to all, improving the quality of life of all species. A vision of perfection uniting everything.

Now that they had reached Ilos, it was only a matter of time.

* * *

Still dejected from his treatment at the hands of the Council, Shepard returned to the _Normandy_ - as the Council had promised, the ship was grounded, unable to leave. It was insulting that they had done this - actually, it was more insulting to Shepard that the Council thought they had that kind of authority over a Federation Starship. Had the Federation tried to pull a similar trick with a Council vessel, they no doubt would have put up so much stink as to make the effort less than worth it. Of course, the Federation wasn't usually so... what was the term? Arrogant? That was the one. They weren't usually so arrogant as to think they could boss around another power. They had to resort to diplomacy. Not so the Citadel Council, who seemed to think their will was the be all and end all in known space, end of discussion.

The worst thing though was knowing that the Borg were out there, waiting. No, worse - that the Borg were out there, progressing with their plan.

He went to his quarters and sat on his bed, trying desperately to block out the feeling of utter hopelessness at his failure. Still, maybe it was not all bad - if Sparatus the turian, apparently one of the powerhouses of the Council, had decided to believe him, he might be ale to convince the others to stop this stupidity.

Not soon enough to stop the Borg though.

His door beeped, startling him out of his grim thoughts.

"Come," he called.

To his surprise, Tali entered, hands behind her back.

"I heard what happened," she said. "The Council ordered the ship to be grounded here until further notice." There was a pause. "You want to talk?"

"About the fact that politicians are idiots?" Shepard said with a grim smile. "Why bother? Same shit, different day."

Despite his bad mood, he had to admit, it was good to see Tali. He gestured for her to sit down on a chair, and he sat down opposite her.

"Can I ask you a question?" he asked.

"You just did, but you can ask as many as you like," she replied, laughing slightly.

He laughed too, but sobered up quickly. "You're going back to your people one day, I take it."

"Yes," Tali said at once. "But not for a while I think."

"Why?" Shepard asked. She seemed to think about the question for a moment before speaking.

"Because," she explained, "I need to find something of true value out here to take back."

"What do you think you'll bring back to them, in the end?" Shepard asked.

"I joined Starfleet because Starfleet represents an ideal," Tali replied. She sounded like these were words she had thought long and hard about. As she had when they had first spoken properly, she took her badge off of her uniform suit, looking it over. "Maybe that ideal is what I have to bring back to them. The idea that we can go into space to learn, to make peace and not wage war."

Shepard nodded, smiling. Slowly, hesitantly, he reached out a hand and placed it on hers, clasping it around the badge.

"It's a good ideal," he said softly. "One worth fighting for."

They sat there for a moment, content in each other's company. A moment later, Shepard's combadge beeped. Startled, he tapped it.

"Shepard here," he said.

"_Sorry to bother you sir,_" Joker said, not sounding particularly sorry at all. "_Ambassador Udina wants to see you in his office as soon as possible._"

The meeting with the Ambassador! Shepard had completely forgotten. He stood up, and moved to leave his quarters, Tali following.

"What does he want?" she asked.

"No idea," Shepard replied. "Just be ready. It could be that we won't be grounded much longer."

"Aye sir," she said, as Shepard walked off.


	24. Mutiny on the Normandy

**AN: Bit of clarification for the guest reviewer on how the Council has authority to ground Shepard. Normandy is Shepard's ship. Shepard is their Spectre. They have authority to ground him. This is why Starfleet didn't initially want a Spectre operative: suddenly Starfleet officers are no longer solely answering to the Federation.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Three: Mutiny on the Normandy.**

A few minutes later, Udina, Anderson, Picard and Shepard were sat in the ambassador's office, discussing this unpleasant turn of events.

Neither of the other Starfleet officers could believe that the Council had been so short sighted as to ignore the evidence and, more importantly, ground Shepard and consider removing his Spectre status - that they had offered him! - for 'questionable actions and lacklustre reporting'. It was the most blatant and obvious sort of political bullshit; their reasons were a poor attempt to disguise the simple fact that they weren't prepared to deal, politically or militarily speaking, with the threat of the Borg. The bad PR was worrying them more than the threat of assimilation, because one was a threat they knew how to deal with (politically and mentally) and the other was not.

Picard's reaction upon being told what had happened summed up all their feelings quite succinctly. "Mérde."

"It's sickening," Anderson said angrily, after the situation had been thoroughly explained to him. He wasn't taking the news well at all. "They've ignored the intel for spurious reasons, and instead they're content to sit here and wait for the Borg to catch them off guard. And right now I don't see a damn reason why we shouldn't let them!"

"That isn't the question," Udina said, although he looked like he agreed with the Commodore's sentiments judging by the frown on his face. "The question is, what do we do now?"

"What we do now is obvious," Anderson said at once, a full off energy. "Somehow, we have to get to Ilos before the Borg do! I can mobilise..."

"If we do anything of the sort," Udina cut Anderson off with a sharp gesture, "we risk antagonising the Council and aggravating this entire situation beyond what the Federation council considers acceptable levels."

There was a brief pause while everyone digested these words.

"So you propose ignoring the intel pointing to a Borg interest in Ilos?" Anderson said, his tone accusatory. "That's foolhardy, and you know it."

"With the aid of this Reaper, Sovereign, the Borg have clearly become a far more potent threat than ever before," Picard added, a deep frown on his face as he contemplated everything he had learned. Clearly, he was troubled by the thought of a vastly more powerful Borg collective, far more than anyone else present was, for only he knew their true evil at a personal level. "We cannot just ignore the threat Ilos presents. There could be more technology there, technology the Borg must not be allowed to take and use."

"If we appeal to the Council about this, they might reconsider," Udina suggested, sounding more hopeful than realistic.

"In case you had forgotten, Ambassador Udina, I tried telling them about the possible threat we face from Ilos," Shepard pointed out grimly. "Not only did they ignore me, they grounded my ship and considered removing my Spectre status."

"I'm not grounded," Picard said darkly, his eyes glittering with a dangerous menace that Shepard recognised from the last time the legendary Captain had fought the Borg. "And I don't answer to their authority, but to Starfleet's. I'd like to see them try to stop me from going to Ilos."

"Agreed," Anderson said, nodding. "I can go in _Excalibur_, and round up..."

"That kind of attitude isn't helping," Udina said sharply, catching everyone's attention. "Breaking the law and defying orders isn't how things get done in the Federation."

Picard and Anderson shared a glance, neither finding it within themselves to disagree, even though anyone could tell both of them wanted to. Shepard however, looked from Anderson to Udina to Picard, a slow smile spreading on his face.

"Maybe," he said slowly, "breaking the law and defying orders is exactly how things will get done, at least this time."

Udina looked at Shepard as though he had grown an extra head.

"What do you mean?" he asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. The other two looked doubtful as well, but Shepard was sure this idea was the right one.

"Hear me out on this." Shepard leaned forward in his seat, looking at each of them in turn. "I was given my position as Anderson's XO, and then Captain, because I had what I think was called a 'Kirk spirit'." He smiled grimly. "When Captain James T Kirk had to save his first officer during the Genesis incident, he didn't ask for approval, and he didn't worry about orders. Instead, he stole the USS _Enterprise_ to do what he had to do, the regulations be damned."

"So you're proposing..." Udina looked utterly horrified. "Stealing the _Normandy_? Going to Ilos without Council authority?!"

"My crew will follow me," Shepard said with a grin. "If I do that, you have plausible deniability regarding my actions that spares the Federation form the worst of the political fallout. If I'm wrong about Ilos, I take full responsibility for my actions and get punished accordingly, which would be only right. If, on the other hand, I'm right, then we'll all be too busy fighting Borg to worry about me stealing the Normandy."

"And what do we do in the meantime?" Anderson asked, apparently approving this plan. Picard was nodding too, a slow smile spreading on the face of the _Enterprise_ Captain.

"You and Captain Picard go ready as big a fleet as you can muster," Shepard replied grimly. "I get the feeling we'll need them. Get ready to come either to Ilos or here: one way or the other, there's gonna be one hell of a battle."

"I have about half the old Seventh Fleet on standby at Starbase 14, have had since Palaven," Anderson said, thinking on his feet. "The _Enterprise_ and _Excalibur_ could be there in an hour and have the fleet battle ready in two more. From there, it's just a case of point us in the right direction and stand the hell back."

"Good," Shepard said with a smile. "I'll go brief my crew on the plan."

"And what about me?" Udina asked, folding his arms. "What am I supposed to do while you're stealing a Federation starship?"

"You pretend we never had this conversation and get pissy when we leave," Shepard told him with a grin. "Shouldn't be too hard, sir."

Udina nodded, an ironic smile on his face.

"I don't like this," he said after a moment, "but it sounds like the best plan we have." He sighed. "We never had this conversation."

"Understood," Shepard said, and the other two Captains nodded as well, already leaving the room. As Shepard followed them, Udina spoke.

"Good luck, Captain," the ambassador said quietly. "Give the Borg hell."

"Such is my intention, sir," Shepard grinned, as he left the office.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Shepard had his entire senior staff, plus those of his ground team who weren't part of the senior staff, at the briefing room and had told them the exact situation, Council bullshit and all. Their reaction was, as he expected, outrage and support for the Captain, which made him feel considerably better about himself. He then explained his plan to steal the _Normandy_ and go to Ilos without official Starfleet approval.

"If I am wrong," he finished after explaining everything, "then even if I take full responsibility, there's every likelihood that the careers of every person around this table will be over. If any of you prefer to remain behind, then that will absolve you of any responsibility in this matter."

A long moment passed, and then another. He could tell they were all considering their options.

"I haven't had a lot of experience with your people, Captain," Liara said after a long moment, looking around the table for support from her fellow crew, "but if I were human, I believe my exact words would probably be, '_what the hell are we standing around for?_'"

There was a moment's pause as everyone digested her words. Shepard smiled softly.

"I don't need to be human to say what the hell are we standing around for," Wrex added, a Krogan grin on his face at the thought of telling the Council where to stick it. "Let's just get going already!"

"We don't answer to the Council," Pressly pointed out, his voice taking on a reasonable tone at odds with his 'innocent' expression. "We answer to Starfleet, and Starfleet's Commodore in this system has approved this course of action. Nothing wrong with it."

"I don't care if there is," Garrus added excitedly. "The Council went too far, and they're jeopardising the entirety of Citadel Space. They can't do that and expect us to listen to them."

Kaidan nodded silently, the expression on his face enough to show Shepard that the Ops officer supported him all the way. Shepard looked to Dr Chakwas, who gave a similar nod.

"The Borg have to be stopped," Tali added, certainty in her young voice. "If the Council can't see that, they're idiots."

Slowly, everyone around the table nodded, each of them determined to stand by their commanding officer, this one time when he truly needed them to. They all stood up, each of them willing to do their part, and moved off, ready to begin Operation Steal-The-_Normandy_. He could have tried to think of a better name but somehow one that was purely descriptive felt better.

"Tali," Shepard said as the staff left the briefing room and entered the bridge, "chances are I'll need your hacking ability to get the Citadel to let _Normandy_ loose."

"Yes, sir," she said smartly. "I won't let you down."

"You haven't yet," Shepard said. He turned to Garrus. "Mr Vakarian, I want you to take over tactical for the duration."

Garrus looked at the station - where once Ashley Williams had stood proud - and then back to Shepard, a mixture of pride and determination on his face.

"I'll do my best, sir," he said softly.

Shepard nodded. "Joker, once we're clear of the Citadel, lay in a course for the Mu relay and Ilos beyond at maximum warp."

"Aye," Joker replied grimly.

"Kaidan, I want you to monitor comm traffic," Shepard said to his Ops officer, "and you'll need to let the Seventh Fleet at Starbase 14 know the score the minute we do."

"Aye sir," Kaidan replied smartly. He was already entering in commands at his console.

Nodding, Shepard sat in his command chair, his entire crew around him working at peak efficiency.

"Ok people," he said, determination etched into his face. "Let's go to work!"

* * *

"The USS _Excalibur_ has just left Widow," William Riker, First Officer of the USS _Enterprise_ said, turning to look at his Captain. Picard was sat in his command chair, waiting patiently for the right moment to begin executing the plan, code named - rather ridiculously - "Operation Steal-The-_Normandy_". Picard had suppressed a smirk when he heard the name - if nothing else, it meant what it said on the tin.

The plan, knocked out quickly between Picard, Anderson and Shepard in a terse series of high band transmissions undetectable by Council technology, had been simple. _Normandy_ would begin it's escape sequence - a combination hacking attack on the Citadel's computer systems by _Normandy's_ Chief Engineer - on _Enterprise's_ signal, and _Enterprise_ would only send the signal right before it left the Widow system, allowing maximum deniability for Udina when the Council came calling on his doorstep, demanding an explanation. Meanwhile, _Enterprise_ and _Excalibur_ would gather the forces Shepard requested - half of the entire Seventh fleet, which was not a force to be sniffed at by any means, even if the enemy they were going to face were the Borg. This fleet would remain at full standby until the _Normandy_ requested assistance - either to go to Ilos to fight the Borg there, or to go to the Citadel to fight the Borg there (depending on which happened first).

"_Normandy_ reports she is waiting on our signal," Commander Data, the golden skinned android Ops officer said, not taking his eyes off of his station. He had kept his eyes fixed firmly on the console, waiting patiently for Picard's order, ever since Picard told him to "watch closely for the transmission". It was a literal minded interpretation, intentionally so, and one Picard appreciated, given the rather tense circumstances.

"Helm, do we have a course ready?" Picard asked quickly.

"Aye sir," the helm officer, Lieutenant Branson, replied.

"Then by all means, Mr Data, make it so," the Captain said, gesturing with his hand as was his wont. "Helm, once he's done, get us out of here, maximum warp."

Data executed Picard's order with a fluent series of commands, his fingers flying across his console almost faster than the eye could see.

"Signal sent," he reported.

"Course laid in," Branson added from the helm console. "Engaging at Warp nine."

The _Enterprise_ quickly left the system, becoming a white flash on the horizon of the Citadel.

"Do you reckon Shepard will be able to stop the Borg at Ilos?" Riker asked quietly. That he was only voicing these concerns now was testament to how much he trusted Picard's judgement.

"Number One," Picard replied, turning to look at his XO, "between the Borg and John Shepard, I'd bet on Shepard, any day of the week."

* * *

The minute the _Normandy_ received the signal, John Shepard gave his team the all clear to begin the operation. As he had come to expect from his crew by now, everything was done quickly, efficiently, and successfully.

The first thing Citadel Control knew of the theft of the _Normandy_ was when their computers started shorting out thanks to Tali's masterful hacking attempts. When they went through the computers, they found that they were under computer attack from an unknown source. After clearing it out, they found that, in the confusion, a single unauthorised ship had left the Citadel - the Federation Starship USS _Normandy_, a ship with so much concern attached to it, from somewhere, that a note was in the file to contact the Council if the ship actually left without due authorisation. Citadel control did exactly that.

A moment later, on the bridge of the _Normandy_, Kaidan turned from his station to look at Shepard.

"We're being hailed by the Council," he said, sounding slightly worried.

Shepard grinned.

"Bring them up," he said.

A moment later, Tevos, Sparatus and Valern appeared on his viewscreen, all looking absolutely furious.

"Captain Shepard!" Tevos said, almost shrieking, "what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Leaving," Shepard replied bluntly. "I know you don't look out a window often, but that should be fairly clear..."

"This is a clear and direct violation of our edict that you remain grounded..." Valern complained sternly.

Shepard entered in a command on his armrest console, and looked up at the Councillors.

"So sorry, Councillors," he said, grinning viciously. "I think this is a bad line. Bye."

He pressed a final command, and the transmission was cut off.

"You've been wanting to do that for a while, haven't you?" Joker asked.

"Hang up on an important politician mid conversation?" Shepard replied, still grinning. "Damn straight."

Truth be told, he was running on adrenaline, worried and wondering whether he was doing the right thing. Fortunately, this was translating as a kind of mania that was only helping him lead the crew through this situation.

"Joker," he said, to distract himself from thinking, "what's our estimated time to arrival at Ilos?"

"Uncertain, Captain," Joker said, "since it's, you know, totally uncharted."

"Wow," Shepard said, voice laced with friendly sarcasm, "if only we were part of some kind of exploratory organisation that loved jumping into uncharted space on a whim."

"Point taken," Joker smiled. "I'll let you know when we have an ETA sir."

"Please do," Shepard said. "I'm going to try and get some shut eye - chances are its the last chance we'll get for a while."

With that, he left the bridge, deciding to enjoy a final nap before what was most likely going to be his death. And to get away from the nagging sensation that he had just ruined the lives of every single person on his crew.

* * *

Tevos, Valern and Sparatus shared a look between them, all of them a combination of confused and angry about what had just happened.

After a moment, Councillor Sparatus shrugged.

"Say anything you like about Shepard," he said slowly. "The man has style."


	25. Ilos Bound

**AN: Before anything else, I'm writing in reply to the long review posted by a guest reviewer.**

**Firstly, yup, this is pretty much the canon storyline with a Trek twist. Yes, it probably should be a little more different, but when I was planning out this first segment it didn't occur to me (this was an entire year ago mind). Fortunately, this is something I have been able to rectify somewhat with the planning of the sequel segments - however the point of this crossover always was "Mass Effect with a Star Trek twist," so that's still what those stories are going to be.**

**Secondly. You mentioned the Dominion War, and its been mentioned before, so I've addressed it (very briefly, as it isn't major to my storyline) in this chapter. It should at least partially explain any issues/queries anyone has there.**

**Thirdly. As a more general note, on the grounding of the Normandy. As you point out - the Federation has an appeasement policy: that is why Udina was happy to publicly go along with the Council, that is why he was nervous about Shepard's plan. **

**Anyway: on with the story.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Four: Ilos Bound.**

Commodore Anderson, stood in his ready room on the USS _Excalibur_, a ship almost identical to the USS _Normandy_ save for having a few older systems than the more up-to-date ship, checked over his data PADD again, convinced that this was just a bad dream.

He had ordered the old Seventh Fleet to assemble at Starbase 14 almost three days ago. He had been under no illusions: it was an order that he had always thought would be difficult to accomplish, despite - hell, because of - the ongoing Borg threat, since the Seventh had been assembled as a formation for a war with a hostile power called the Dominion that had ultimately never happened, although it had been a close run thing, and many of the ships - mainly the Excelsior class cruisers and the Miranda class destroyers - had been specially speed-constructed or retrofitted for the fleet and didn't have official duties, or even in some cases full time crews, meaning they spent most of their time effectively mothballed. Still, with the ongoing threat and the resulting mad scramble to get operational fighting ships together, he had hoped by now that at least half the fleet would have arrived.

When he arrived at Starbase 14, however, only one hundred ships had arrived, instead of the near three hundred he had hoped for. While still more than double the numbers of the three forty-plus ship task forces the Federation had assembled in past conflicts with the Borg, it wasn't going to be enough: Anderson could just feel it.

Still, despite that he had more pressing worries. He didn't know how long he had before Shepard's call, and it was beginning to worry him that he might not be able to get this fleet to the either Ilos or the Citadel in time.

He wasn't technically in command of this fleet, despite his being the man to go to for Starfleet's Citadel space operations - that responsibility fell to Admiral Hackett. Hackett was a good man - reasonable, thoughtful, a man who made it his business to consider every option and every angle. He was also an expert tactician. He had reviewed everything Anderson had forwarded to him and agreed wholeheartedly that it was entirely the right choice to assemble a fleet. He had also agreed that sending Shepard to Ilos was the best option they could possibly have had, if only because it would confirm one way or another what exactly the Borg's plan was. Maybe Shepard would even be able to stop it.

Anderson's thoughts now turned to Shepard. The Captain had made good his escape, that much was clear, and the _Normandy_ was surely on it's way by now - they were going to report to _Enterprise_ when they were definitely on their way to Ilos itself. Anderson couldn't help but want to send them some help, but he knew it was unwise to divert even a handful of his ships without knowing whether the true force was going to hit there. If the Borg were at Ilos in force, one or two ships would last approximately six or seven seconds. If on the other hand they weren't and were instead attacking the Citadel in force (Anderson felt certain that they would attack there in force at some point, he just wasn't sure when), those ships would serve better helping the main fleet attack the Borg head on.

Nonetheless, Anderson was worried about Shepard, worried about the possibility that his former XO might well be en route to his death.

The Commodore was jolted out of his thought processes by a chime at the door.

"Come in," he said.

The door opened, and in walked Jean-Luc Picard, grim faced but determined nonetheless.

"Commodore," he said. "Another six ships just arrived. At this rate we might be up to one hundred and fifty soon."

"Might," Anderson repeated softly. "But there's no guarantees, and against the Borg you know as well as I do that we need guarantees."

"Better than you do, I think," Picard said, his eyes haunted. He walked to stand next to the Commodore. "I just received word from _Normandy_. They're on route to Ilos. No estimated time of arrival yet."

"Any word on Council pursuit?" Anderson asked. Picard chuckled slightly.

"Nonexistent," he said, a smile on his face. "They don't appear to want to 'put their money where their mouth is' as it were."

"Doesn't surprise me," Anderson growled. "Idiots."

He turned around and leaned against the wall, deliberately shutting out the view of the too-small fleet out there, and instead focused his attention on Picard.

"Honestly," he asked, trying to be as quiet as possible, as though the question itself might tempt fate, "how ready are we?"

Picard leant against the back of Anderson's desk, frowned, and then shook his head.

"I couldn't say," he murmured after a moment. "We have more ships than the average task forces we've sent. But that might just mean more ships to lose..."

"Not optimistic?" Anderson asked. Picard gave him a look filled with a mix of dread and fear.

"When dealing with the Borg?" he asked rhetorically. "I can never be."

* * *

As _Normandy_ raced towards Ilos and her destiny, Captain John Shepard walked the corridors of his ship. He didn't immediately go to his quarters, instead taking the opportunity to tour the ship and find out the mood of the crew. Most of it was optimistic: they felt like they were on the right track with this mission, even if they were risking an incident with the Citadel in the meantime. A few expressed concern that they might not be able to stop the Borg. Shepard tried offering comfort, but whether it worked for the crew or not (and somehow it seemed to), it rang hollow in his ears.

In this manner, he traversed the entire ship. He spoke to his crew, shook hands, wished luck, congratulated hard effort. He offered comforting words. All the while, he tried to prepare himself mentally for what was about to happen - and he couldn't.

After a long while, he returned o his quarters. There, he sat down in the floor, back leant against the wall, and wondered whether he had ordered his crew on a suicide mission, whether they were marching only to their doom.

He then got up, went to his personal computer, and spent half an hour running simulations, making certain that he was completely familiar with the tactical difference between _Normandy's_ tactical abilities and those of the average Borg ship. The statistics were... somewhat unsettling, to say the least, but he could (at a pinch) live with unsettling. Reasonably, their hope lay in beaming a small ground team to Ilos before the Borg noticed them, and then the ship would have to disengage. From there, _Normandy_ could pull away and rendezvous with _Excalibur_ and _Enterprise_ at Starbase 14 with the Seventh Fleet.

He sighed. He needed sleep, more desperately than he had ever thought possible. Joker had yet to get a solid fix on an ETA for him - though he had sent a guesstimate of about six hours - far too long. And yet he had six hours in which to wait, in which to run calculations, plan battle tactics, plan his funeral arrangements...

An involuntary snort. Yup, planning his own funeral would certainly come in handy, since he was probably about to die and he just knew everyone would get the bastard totally wrong.

He sighed, and stood up, pacing his room. If he was being honest with himself - something he was not normally very good at - he was simply afraid again. His adrenaline rush had gotten him through the legwork of escaping the Citadel and getting them en route to Ilos, but past that, his fear had reasserted itself.

"Courage," he said to himself in an undertone, trying to remember some comforting platitudes he had once heard, "is acting despite fear, rather than not having fear."

All well and good telling himself that, but it didn't prevent the fear from existing and feeling _really_ bad.

Shepard sighed. He had no doubt he'd somehow conquer his fear and pull through, he usually did. Nonetheless, he would have been happier if he had some certainty of that, or some way of making the fear go away.

The doorbell of his quarters chimed, and sighing, he pushed himself to his feet, walked over, and opened the door. To his surprise, Tali was standing there, wringing her hands slightly.

"Captain," she said softly. "Can I come in?"

"By all means," Shepard replied. He stepped aside and let her pass him. She walked into his quarters and sat down, clearly preoccupied.

"What can I do for you?" he asked her, sitting next to her.

She looked up at him, face as invisible as ever behind the mask. Sometimes Shepard found himself wondering about what a quarian facial expression looked like. He knew they looked pretty much like humans, except for the eyes and limb structure, and a seem what tougher endoskeleton, but that didn't mean he knew what Tali's face looked like. It would have been interesting to see.

"You can tell me honestly if you think we'd going to die," Tali said bluntly, interrupting his thoughts. He laughed - now that was a question! - but the laugh trailed off when he saw she was deadly serious.

"What's prompted this?" he asked.

"I've been talking to the engineering staff," Tali said quietly. "And they think we're flying out to a suicide mission. They trust you as a Captain but they all seem convinced that our number is up. I want to know what you think."

There was a moment's pause as Shepard considered the question. Ultimately, did he think they were doomed?

"I don't know," he said after a moment. "I honestly don't know."

Tali seemed to mull over that answer for a moment before continuing.

"Then answer this," she said, as bluntly as before. "Are you _content_ to just not know?"

"No," Shepard said at once, certainty filling his voice for the first time. "But I don't see how I have a choice - we don't know whether this is it. It's a fact that we might die. That's just how it is. You put on the uniform, it comes with the risk of death. You hope it won't come to that - but it can, and you know it. If you're lucky, you survive and get a cushy desk job in your later years, maybe get to retire."

"And if you aren't lucky?" Tali asked, folding her arms.

"Then you die," Shepard said. "You die young, and you die serving the Federation, hoping you made a difference."

"Like we might be about to," Tali finished, quietly.

"There are worse ways to die," Shepard noted, leaning back in his chair. "And even if we fail, I like to think that we've done some good. We saved Palaven. We saved Feros. We've fought the Borg on planets, driven them off."

"Yeah, we have," Tali nodded, her voice almost inaudible.

The two of them sat in silence for a long while, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Do you... regret anything?" she asked, her voice soft and sounding a lot younger than Shepard had heard in a while. It was easy to forget that she was much younger than him, but right now, it was easier to remember.

"I regret many things," he replied, frowning off into the distance as he recalled some of them. "I lost friends on the _Enterprise_. I have lost friends on other posts. Jenkins and Nihlus on Eden Prime."

"I mean..." Tali interrupted, and then paused, as if she were trying to figure out exactly how to express what she was thinking. "I mean, do you regret that there's no one waiting for you back home?"

Shepard blinked. The question was a personal one, to be sure, and yet he didn't mind so much. And it was true, he didn't have anyone waiting for him, no family. Did it bother him? He smiled slightly, as he realised that it didn't. Not really.

"I may not have a family back home," he said after a moment, "but I think I can live with that." He out a hand out, open palmed. "I've always thought of the people I serve with as being my family, and right ow my family is marching into hell with me. At least I know that we're all together."

Tali looked up at him. He smiled. Then she looked down at her lap, and slowly, hesitantly, placed her hand in his. She leaned on him slightly, and he let her, resting his head slightly on hers. They sat like that for a long time.

* * *

A few minutes later, Shepard marched onto the bridge, Tali walking behind him. Joker was busy piloting, but Kaidan and Garrus turned to look at them, nodding in greeting.

"Captain," the Ops officer said softly. "We now have a definite ETA on Ilos."

"Hit me," Shepard told him, eager to hear this information.

"At current speed, we'll be there in the next half hour," Joker told him, not bothering to turn around in his seat. "Sorry, I know I should have warned you sooner, but Ilos was a tricky bitch to pin down. There were lots of systems around here."

"Any sign of Borg presence?" Shepard asked, ignoring Joker's lax discipline - he felt the man had earned it.

"Nothing on long range sensors," Kaidan replied, frowning at the readings his console was giving him. "Which is worrying."

"Because if they aren't here, where are they?" Shepard finished, already way ahead of the Lieutenant. "Garrus, raise shields and arm weapons."

"On it," Garrus replied efficiently, quickly inputting commands into his console. "You have them."

"I'll assemble a ground team in transporter room 1," Shepard continued. "Pressly, you have the bridge. Drop shields only momentarily to let us out. Once my team is down, head for the fleet at Starbase 14, and warn them that the Borg fleet isn't at Ilos. Chances are they'll be headed for the Citadel."

"What makes you so certain?" Pressly asked, looking slightly puzzled. This bit of deduction had sailed over his head, clearly.

"They threatened to do exactly that, in the Council chamber," Shepard replied grimly, remembering the assimilated Saren. "Once they have whatever they want from here, which they might already, there's almost certainly nothing stopping them from heading straight there in force."

"Aye sir," Pressly nodded, accepting this explanation. "Who's in your ground team?"

That was a difficult one. Garrus and Kaidan had to stay up here to help run things. Tali should have too, by rights, but Shepard wanted her t come along in case he needed tech support. Liara wasn't particularly crucial up here and her biotics would come in handy. Equally, Wrex had no formal duties up here and was primarily a ground soldier.

"Wrex, Tali, Liara," he said after a moment, already turning to head for the armoury - Tali was already waiting in the turbolift. "Have the other two meet me in the transporter room."

"Aye sir," Pressly nodded. "Good luck."

"Thanks, Pressly," Shepard smiled as the doors closed. "You too."


	26. The Lonely Vigil

**AN: To the latest in a series of very thoughtful unsigned reviews, regarding how without the Dominion War, the Federation wouldn't have developed as advanced weapons and shielding tech as in canon.**

**Firstly, the ****_Odyssey_**** still happened (in my head): I wrote that the Federation never went to war with the Dominion, but that they were preparing for it. That they were on such a close footing that they felt the need to gather the numbered fleets (Seventh, Ninth etc) should show how close it came. While many innovations never happened, as you rightly point out, the Federation were building up. Saying that - of course the Borg are gonna tear them a new one: it'll lead in to my version of ME2 and 3 (because, as we all know, the Borg are one of the single greatest motivators for action the Federation's defensive system designers ever had - see the difference between the battles at Wolf 359 and Sector 001).**

**Thank you all for reading so far, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. :-)**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Five: The Lonely Vigil.**

The _Normandy_ slipped quietly into the Ilos system a few minutes later, unseen by any eyes. To be fair, they could have come in singing the Klingon war songs as loudly and drunkenly as they pleased, firing off a twenty one torpedo salute, and no one would have seen them, for there were no Borg present in the system: at least, no orbiting ships. This fact alone was enough to worry Shepard - the Borg would never leave the planet unguarded unless they had already achieved everything they wanted to achieve. That meant that they had left Ilos because they had what they wanted from it. It terrified Shepard, the thought that he had again been too late, but he ignored that thought, shoving it aside and instead focusing on his goal: stopping the Borg's plan, whatever it was.

In the ship's armoury, he prepared for the coming battle with utter military precision. He put his Hazard suit on, tested the systems of his TED, and made certain the health and armour energy packs in his suit were both fully charged. That done, he put a TR-116, TR-116 pistol variant (thank God for Tali) and IMod into his transporter buffer, and then double checked he had his atmosphere helmet in case - somehow - he was required to go out into a vacuum. He knew it was pretty unlikely, but he wanted to be prepared for absolutely anything on this mission.

He finished packing this equipment, and sighed. No matter how prepared he thought he was, he knew this was going to be a brutal battle. Quite possibly none of them would make it out alive. Despite this, he trusted his team and the crew he was leaving behind implicitly. He knew each of them would do their best to get the job done. That would be enough - or he hoped it would, anyway.

A few minutes later, Wrex, Tali and Liara met him in transporter room 1. Each of them was as well armed and armoured as he was, and they all looked grim, but also determined to do their duty.

"Any last minute concerns?" he asked each of them as he entered. "I want everyone happy with this mission we're going on."

"I have a few," Wrex said, his tone surprisingly light, considering their mission, "but most of them are easy enough to answer. Shoot them, shoot them all, shoot them more with bigger guns."

"That begs the question of what your concerns were," Liara said, giving her colleague a sidelong glance filled with a combination of amusement and scepticism.

"What if there are Borg, what if there are lots of Borg, and what if shooting them doesn't work the first time," Wrex helpfully informed her. Shepard smiled at that.

"Your solutions sound pretty feasible to me," he said after a moment, letting his voice sound faux official. "Be sure to implement them."

"Aye sir," Wrex chuckled.

Shepard laughed too - he liked levity before a serious mission, it helped relax his team. The others laughed as well, though it was clearly a gallows, 'we are about to die' humour.

After a moment, Shepard's expression became more serious, as did his tone.

"Any other concerns?" he asked his team.

"I'm worried about the terrain a bit," Wrex confessed, although he didn't sound overly worried. "We don't know that much. That's bad for any combat mission."

"Long range scans indicate ruined urban areas pretty much everywhere on the planet," Tali said at once - typical that she'd taken the time to make a scan. She sounded concerned, but also calm, as though she were resigned to this mission. "But you're right - beyond that, we know very little about the structures."

"There'll be Borg there," Wrex said simply, shrugging. "At which point, I refer you to my previous solutions. We'll have to improvise is all."

"In a way, urban terrain is a curse and a blessing," Shepard said, running the possibilities through his mind. "They'll be able to sneak up on us a bit easier, but we'll be able to use cover when they use their disruptor adaptations."

"What about the thing the Borg are looking for?" Liara asked, her tone far more worried than either of her colleagues. "All we have been able to determine so far is that there was some kind of Ilos Project. In truth, we don't even know for certain that the Borg are here or that they ever were."

"Are you worried I made the wrong choice?" Shepard asked.

"No," Liara said. "All evidence pointed here - the Mu relay, the reference to Ilos in the beacon the Borg possessed... even if they are not here, there are enough trails leading here. Still, it would be nice to have been right."

"We'll know in a minute if we were right," Tali said reassuringly. "We should be coming up to Ilos now and Kaidan can give us the results of his scans..."

As if on cue, Shepard's combadge beeped. He tapped it quickly.

"_Captain Shepard_," Kaidan's voice came from the device, "_we've detected a small Borg presence on Ilos, centred around a ruined complex."_

"Send the coordinates to the transporter room," Shepard replied sharply, "and stand by to drop shields to beam us down. Once we're down, wait for my confirmation before heading to Starbase 14 - if I get intel about a different target, it is vital that you get it, and there are no Borg ships around to threaten the Normandy."

"_Aye sir,_" Kaidan replied. Shepard and his team took their positions on the transporter pad.

"Ready on your order, sir," the transporter chief reported.

"In position," Kaidan added over the com. "Shields down!"

"Energise," Shepard said. A moment later, he and his team disappeared in blue light.

* * *

Ilos was a beautiful world, of that Shepard had no doubt, but it felt... wrong, somehow. Everywhere he looked, he could see nothing but ruined buildings, around which grew large flowers and giant vines. It was as though the place had been overgrown for centuries, millennia even. There didn't seem to be any sign that anyone had been here recently, although the Borg were surprisingly good at covering their tracks when they wanted to.

"Ever get the feeling we shouldn't be here?" Tali asked, looking around nervously. In her hand was the TR-116 pistol variant she had designed, and she clutched it tightly.

"It's a beautiful place," Liara replied, her eyes wide with wonder, no doubt because she was seeing so much Prothean architecture, "and I would love to study it at another time, but there is an odd smell on the air. Like death - or worse."

"Things died here years ago," Wrex declared, his voice cutting through the tense air like a meat cleaver. He held his shotgun at ease, obviously relaxed even in a combat zone. "And today, more things are going to die."

"Focus people," Shepard reprimanded his team slightly. He needed them to concentrate in their jobs, not on the weird vibes this place gave out. Hell, he agreed with them about the vibes, but they weren't important. Stopping the Borg was. "We need to find out what the Borg were doing here." He tapped his combadge. "_Normandy_, come in. Away team is on the ground, proceeding with objective."

"_Roger that,_" Kaidan replied crisply, his voice echoing tinnily. "_We'll keep an ear out for your transmission._"

"Tali, I want you to scan for Borg signatures down here," Shepard ordered. The quarian engineer nodded, her tricorder already out and scanning. "Liara, Wrex, keep an eye out."

"I read several Borg signatures several dozen metres up ahead," Tali said after a tense couple of moments. "They're inside a large structure."

"Good!" Shepard smiled, hefting his TR-116. "Let's move people!"

They jogged in the direction Tali indicated, passing through the ruins as they did so. There were no signs that the Borg had ever been in this part of the complex, but Shepard kept his eyes open anyway - he knew almost as well as anyone that if those metal bastards could do anything, they could adapt to any situation they were faced with. It wouldn't have surprised him if they set an urban ambush for his team.

Nonetheless, they reached the structure Tali mentioned without there being so much as a hint of any Borg presence. The structure was sealed - a massive door, at least six or seven times Shepard's height, blocked their way - but Tali already had her tricorder out, scanning for any weakness she could exploit.

"Have any miracle ideas for opening this door?" Wrex asked sarcastically.

"Afraid not," Tali sighed after a moment, putting the tricorder away. "The circuitry is too degraded to hack. We could try finding an override, but it would take time..."

"Time we don't have," Shepard finished grimly. "Options?"

"Here's one," Wrex said. He put his shotgun away behind his back, pressed a control on his belt mounted buffer, a drew out a large barrelled gun of an obviously Starfleet design, albeit one Shepard was unfamiliar with. "Stand back."

The team did as the Krogan suggested. He took aim with the weapon, standing a good thirty feet away from the door himself, and fired.

A yellow ball of light flew from the barrel of the weapon. It smashed into the door, vaporising a good chunk of the middle and leaving the rest smouldering and charred. The resultant gap was easily enough of a hole for the team to get through.

"What in the name of the Goddess was that?" Liara asked, looking at the gun in mixed wonder and fear.

"Portable photon torpedo launcher," Wrex replied simply. He put it away and drew out his shotgun again. "Pretty impractical most days but good for this kind of stuff."

"Not bad," Tali said, nodding in appreciation.

"Well," he said with a Krogan smile, "I wouldn't be much of a mercenary if I couldn't blow up a door."

Shepard ignored the banter. They had to get a move on - the Borg were ahead of them, and who knew what they would do with that head start?

* * *

The jog down the tunnel was long and gruelling, but the little Starfleet team kept going. The structure was huge - there was a cavernous ceiling that stretched high above them, and the tunnel was wide enough to fit a small starship. It stretched for what looked - and felt - like miles.

There was no sign of any Borg presence in the facility. More and more, Shepard was beginning to doubt that there had ever been a Borg presence down here, despite Tali's continued insistence that there were several Borg signatures ahead.

All around them were pods tat looked like sleeper pods - it seemed as though the Protheans here had attempted to survive the disaster that claimed their kind by using cryogenic suspension, but the systems must have failed.

Eventually, after maybe half a mile, they saw in the distance what appeared to be a massive forcefield, stretching up to the high ceiling of this cavernous structure. Shepard grimaced.

"Tali?" he said.

"Already scanning," she said, panting slightly from the exertion of jogging down the tunnel. After a moment, they reached the force field - and that's where they saw them.

Borg. There must have been forty or fifty, all with disruptor adaptations. Worse, they were being led by the drone that had once bee Saren Arterius. They had apparently managed to adapt to the forcefield, and had already passed through. Most of the Borg were continuing down the tunnel, but the one that had been Saren seemed to be interested in staring at Shepard.

The Captain came to a alt before the forcefield, looking the former Spectre dead in the eye.

"You are designated Captain John Shepard, of the USS _Normandy_ NCC 90000," the drone said tonelessly. "You have been a hindrance to our plans."

"Glad to hear it," Shepard replied acidly. "If this forcefield wasn't here, I'd be more than a hindrance."

"Hypothetical situations will not prevent the inevitable," the former Saren Arterius said matter of factly. "Your lives as they have been are over. You will serve the Borg, one way or another."

"Come through here and say that," Wrex interrupted, aiming his shotgun at the Borg drone. "I'll be happy to end your miserable life."

"Satisfying violent urges is irrelevant," Saren said, his mechanically altered voice soft. "Your species will becme part of the greater whole, Urdnot Wrex. You should help us."

"What?" Wrex asked, angered by the thought.

"Your people are dying out," the Saren drone pointed out. "We will be the Krogan's salvation, through assimilation."

"Dead's dead," Wrex replied angrily. "The only difference is that when you kill us, you keep our bodies around for a while. I'd rather my people just died in peace."

"A crude and narrow outlook," the drone said dismissively. "And one we will remove from you when you are added to perfection."

It turned to leave, apparently done taunting them.

"I will stop you," Shepard said, as if trying to get the Borg's attention back. The drone half turned, and when he spoke his tone was dismissive.

"No, you will not."

With that, the drone that had been the Spectre Saren Arterius walked away from the forcefield, leaving Shepard and his team trapped impotently on the other side. Shepard resisted the urge to bang his fist on the forcefield.

"Tali," he said, trying to keep his voice calm. "Please tell me there's some way we can get past this bastard."

Tali was scanning, and slowly she turned to face a door set into the right side of the tunnel.

"Seems like the forcefield is being generated by a power source from that door," she said softly. "Come on."

She led the way, the little group stepping into an elevator beyond the door. As soon as they were inside, the elevator began it's descent.

"This must all be automated," Liara theorised. "Though I am astounded the technology works after all this time."

"I wish it didn't," Shepard said. "We might have been able to stop those Borg."

"Against so many, we wouldn't have stood a chance," Wrex pointed out grimly. "Although it sure would have been fun."

Shepard nodded grimly, understanding the truth in Wrex's words. Still, he couldn't help but wish things had been just that bit easier.

Once the lift reached it's destination, Shepard stepped off, looking around. The room was apparently unremarkable - large, like most of the architecture seemed to be, but otherwise fairly empty. The only thing thereof interest was a holographic projector - there was a reddish-orange hologram flickering at them, in shapes the Captain could barely make out. It looked badly degraded.

"Is that a VI of some sort?" Liara asked, narrowing her eyes at the hologram.

"You are not Prothean," a voice suddenly said in an unfamiliar accent, startling the scientist, who stepped back in shock. "But you are not machines either, nor are you the strange hybrids that passed through this place on the way to the Conduit. This was one of many outcomes that was anticipated."

"Who are you?" Shepard asked, approaching the hologram.

"My name is Vigil," the hologram replied. "We must be brief: the creatures who passed this place are already nearing the Conduit."

"The what?" Wrex said gruffly.

"The Conduit is the result of the Ilos project," Vigil said, it's voice matter-of-fact. "When the Reapers came, they began systematically destroying the Prothean people. They did this by using the census data of the Citadel - data from which the Ilos project was excluded. We survived where the rest of our empire was annihilated."

"Hold on," Shepard said, holding up a hand. "I need you to explain about the Reapers."

"There is little to tell," Vigil said. "They are as you know a race of machines. They built the mass relays and the Citadel. It is a trap."

"In what way?" Liara asked.

"The Citadel is itself a Mass Relay," Vigil explained. "Through which the Reapers invade, every cycle, aided by the keepers, the organic servitors of the Citadel."

Shepard cursed. He had never paid much attention to the keepers - and now he wished he had. They were almost like the perfect Trojan Horse.

"Every cycle, the Citadel is the heart of government," Vigil continued, explaining the horrifying truth with mechanical precision. "Every cycle, it's capture gives the Reapers everything they need to destroy entire civilisations. They come from Dark Space, destroy, and then return."

Shepard nodded. This all made some kind of sense now; the Citadel as a trap laid by the Reapers. Ok.

"So what is the Conduit?" he asked.

"The research team on Ilos survived," Vigil replied, it's voice still emotionless. "My purpose was to keep the entire staff alive - but there were power conservation issues. I had to triage the people in pods, beginning with non essential personnel."

"You... killed them?" Liara said, shocked.

"Yes," Vigil said bluntly. "There was no alternative."

Though it was abhorrent, it was a necessity. The brutal reality of an impossible situation. Shepard could almost understand it. Though it was a choice he didn't think he or any organic being could ever make.

"The researchers," he said, trying to get the conversation back on track.

"Yes. The researchers devised a way to break into the Citadel and reprogram the keepers so that they will not obey the Reapers signal to activate the Citadel relay," Vigil continued. "This was the Conduit - a back door into the Citadel."

"That must be why the Borg wanted it!" Tali theorised. "It's a way to get to the Citadel undetected!"

"More than that," Vigil corrected her. "It will allow the cyborg beings access to the Citadel's main systems. They will be able to activate the relay and bring the Reapers through."

"Where the Borg will be waiting to assimilate them," Shepard said angrily. "Or just convince them to join forces anyway."

"This eventuality was unforeseen," Vigil said, sounding almost curious. "The cyborg beings - the Borg - have somehow managed to alter the Reaper Sovereign's plans or motivations?"

"They convinced it to join them somehow," Shepard said softly. "It called them a... synthesis."

"This is troubling," Vigil said, now sounding worried. "It does not fit with established data. Be warned - this cycle is different from the others. You may not be able to predict the next actions of your enemies."

"Thank you for the warning," Shepard said, nodding, "and for the information."

"There is one more things have for you," Vigil said. "There is a data disc in my projector that will give you access to the Citadel's systems. This will be helpful. Follow the path of your enemies - they will lead you to the computer."

Quickly, Shepard retrieved the disc.

"Thank you," he said.

"Good luck," the hologram replied. With that, it winked out. Shepard frowned, and tapped his combadge.

"Shepard to _Normandy_, come in," he said quickly.

"Normandy _here_," the voice of Charles Pressly replied.

"Get to the fleet at Starbase 14," Shepard ordered, speaking quickly. "Tell them the target is the Citadel and the Borg have a backdoor. Tell them to hurry!"

"_Aye sir,_" Pressly replied smartly. "_Would you like us to beam you back?_"

Shepard looked at his squad, assessed the possible outcomes of either course of action, and made a decision.

"No," he said. "We'll follow the Borg through the back door. You've got the _Normandy_, Mr Pressly."

"_I'll take good care of her, sir,_" Pressly replied. A moment later, the transmission cut, and Shepard turned to face his team.

"Alright," he said, his tone grim. "The Borg already have a massive head start on us. We're gonna have to haul ass. Let's move people!"


	27. Attack on the Citadel

**Chapter Twenty Six: Attack on the Citadel.**

David Anderson was a patient man - he liked to think of it as one of his greatest strengths as a Commanding Officer, his ability to wait out his opponents and patiently sift thought scientific data - but even his patience had it's limits. For several hours, he had just sat in the observation lounge on USS _Excalibur_, waiting for Captain Shepard's report on Ilos, and the word to go either there or to the Citadel. While he understood that the Captain's mission could have been very easily delayed by any number of factors (many of which were permanent factors, unfortunately), that didn't change the fact that every minute the fleet sat there, the Borg were getting nearer to achieving whatever goal they had set themselves.

It also didn't help that despite having several extra hours to gather ships, the Seventh had only gathered a grand total of 246 starships, many of which were running on skeleton crews as a result of being brought out of their mothballs. Anderson had looked over the stats - many of these ships had modifications that had been designed after the few skirmishes with the Dominion Starfleet had engaged in, and many more had several of the latest in anti Borg weaponry, but many of them didn't have these augmentations, as well. It was troubling.

Still, 246 ships was a larger number than the 106 he had been in charge of only a few hours earlier, and that had to count for something, if only giving the enemy more things to shoot at. Now he felt a little more secure, feeling as though there was a fighting chance for the Federation's forces in this upcoming.

"_Commodore,_" a voice filtered through the comm system spoke, interrupting his thoughts. "_I apologise if I am interrupting you, sir, but there is another Starship entering the system. Looks like the_ Normandy."

Without even waiting a moment to reply to the message, Anderson stormed out of his ready room and onto the bridge, suddenly full of determination. He had a feeling this was it.

"Report," he snapped out quickly.

"The USS _Normandy _hasjust relayed into the system," his Vulcan Ops officer replied efficiently, inputting commands on his console as he spoke. "They're hailing us."

"On viewscreen," Anderson said curtly. A moment later, the XO of the _Normandy_, Commander Charles Pressly, appeared.

"_Commodore,_" he said grimly, his expression determined. "_Captain Shepard ordered me to inform you that the Citadel is being attacked by Borg, right now._"

"The Borg attacking the Citadel?" Anderson repeated, almost dumbstruck by this sudden intel. "Is this confirmed?"

"_Yes sir,_" Pressly said quickly. "_He informed me that the Borg used some kind of back door to infiltrate and attack the Citadel. They need our help, now sir._"

Anderson didn't waste any more time with confirmation.

"Hail Admiral Hackett on _Endeavour_," he ordered his Ops officer, who quickly complied. A moment later, Admiral Steven Hackett's worn face appeared, a knowing smile on his face.

"_Commodore Anderson,_" he said, his gravelly voice sounding tired but eager. "_I see the _Normandy_ just arrived in system. I take it we have a destination?_"

"Yes sir," Anderson replied shortly. "The Citadel."

"_Good_," Hackett said, smiling. "_We'll mobilise and set off as quickly as we can. This is it."_

"That it is," Anderson smiled as well, the smile of a man who needed to go kill something. "Time to show the Borg what we can do!"

Hackett disappeared from the viewscreen, and Anderson pressed the intercom button on his armrest console.

"All hands, this is Commodore Anderson," he said. "Red alert!"

The klaxon of red alert sounded, officers scrambled to get to their battle stations, and Anderson gripped the armrests once his command chair in grim anticipation. He only hoped they could make it in time.

* * *

Shepard ran.

He ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He ran, even as they started screaming in protest. He actively initiated the dermal regeneration sequence and the anabolic protoplasmer injections in his suit just to make certain that his legs didn't give out - the automatic pain relief just let him keep running, almost able to ignore the burning in his lungs.

Behind him, Wrex managed to keep pace, with Liara and Tali right behind. They too were gasping, the pace almost too fast, but they couldn't stop - they had to get to the conduit quickly. Every second they delayed now, the Borg would use to kill or assimilate more people at the Citadel.

The water splashed beneath their feet as they ran. Any other time, Shepard might consider this a pleasant diversion, but right now he was too busy focusing on the path ahead to even notice that he was getting wet: the only notice he paid the streams was the brief moment he was concerned about the water slowing him down - but it wasn't, not really.

Eventually, they reached the top of a slope. At the bottom, there for all to see, was what looked to be a miniature Mass Relay, pointing up at Ilos' sky. There was no sign of the Borg, meaning that the drone that had once been Saren Arterius had already reached the Citadel.

"That must be it!" he said, not stopping his run. "Move! Move! Move!"

"What do you _think_ we're doing?!" Wrex bellowed, increasing his pace.

As they ran, Shepard inputted a command on his belt buffer, bringing out his helmet. He put the thing on, somewhat clumsily considering that he was running. Behind him, the others quickly did the same (except for Tali, who was already in an environmental suit. Whatever this conduit did, it wasn't safe to assume that it did it in such a way as to give you air. A few moments later, they reached the a conduit.

Then there was light.

* * *

Ambassador Donnel Udina sat at his desk in the Presidium embassies, patiently reading the complaints the Council had set out for him to deliver to the Federation Council. Firstly, the fact that the _Normandy_ had left the Citadel when they had quite clearly ordered it grounded. Secondly, the fact that it had done so by launching a hacking attack on Citadel Control. Thirdly, Starfleet's lack of response in apprehending the criminals. There was a demand for a public apology, demand for reparations, demand that Starfleet disband half it's ships (although that one was a separate complaint from the turian Councillor - the turians had always been a little twitchy about Starfleet having as many vessels as it did), and a whole load of other demands that ranged from unreasonable to insane. The usual for politicians.

Udina sighed. Though he understood - sort of - the necessity for Shepard's plan to steal the _Normandy_ and head to Ilos, he still resented somewhat the fact that the Starfleet officers got the glory of bolting to stop the Borg, while he was bogged down in bureaucratic bullshit. The bloody fleet got all the glamorous side of things, while he got to sit here having the Citadel Council complain about them doing it to save their asses. Ungrateful bunch of...

A slight shadow crossed his desk. He frowned at the sight - the Citadel didn't do shadows, it didn't do clouds, and it didn't do night. Udina turned around in his chair to look up at the sky, and gasped involuntarily in horror.

He couldn't make out individual shapes - not at this distance - but he was certain that what he was seeing was, in no uncertain terms, a Borg fleet - at least seven or eight spheres, maybe three or four cubes, and at their head was what could only be described as a giant flying metal cuttlefish, it's shape easily picked it among the geometric shapes of the short vessels.

"Well," Udina said softly, leaning back in his chair. He felt surprisingly calm. Maybe his fear had broken. "Shit."

He laughed, feeling utterly absurd. He wondered if Shepard and the rest of the Seventh were on their way, hot on the heels of the Borg fleet. In any case, if they were the Borg were going to give them one hell of a fight.

"There goes the neighbourhood," he said to himself.

His computer beeped, and he pressed a button, opening the inbox. He was receiving dozens of messages, from a quick message from C-Sec asking for advice to a message from the Council asking him if he knew what was happening. He sighed, stood up, and went over to a Federation replicator he had gotten installed months ago. He replicated himself some wine, and took a swig from his glass. He needed a drink, and right now it looked like it might be his last chance to have one.

* * *

Sovereign was at the head of the Borg fleet - it's black hull had been modified by Borg technology, networks of Borg hull modifications, giving it an eerie green tinge that made it's appearance even more sinister.

Next to it were the Borg ships - ten spheres, five cubes. A paltry number by the Collective's standards, perhaps, but this was all it had needed in the past to deal damage to civilisations like this. One ship was clearly not sufficient, judging from their previous encounters with both Starfleet and the Citadel forces. Fifteen, however, plus the Reaper, would surely be more than sufficient.

The Citadel fleet, to their credit, reacted quickly, a half dozen turian battleships and the Asari dreadnought _Destiny Ascension_ moving to intercept the Borg. Immediately, mass accelerator rounds flew out. Through concentrated fire, the turian ships managed to blast a hole through one Borg sphere.

Then the Borg returned fire.

A green phaser beam sliced into the first turian ship, slicing it clean down the middle, passing through the shields the Federation had supplied and the inbuilt Kinetic barriers like nothing. Photon torpedo impacts splashed against the hulls of a second and third, exposing large swatches of their inner structure - as well as their unfortunate crews - to the vacuum of space. The _Ascension_ however was in her element - it took a photon torpedo hit and withstood a phaser blast from a cube. In return, she fired a shot from her main cannon - the sheer density and speed of it tore through one of the Borg spheres.

Unfortunately, the Borg forces were too strong for the Citadel fleet - the remaining turian ships tried valiantly to hold off the Borg fleet, but were quickly torn apart by massed phaser fire. And the Borg, inexorable in their march, continued on, the _Destiny Ascension _embattled from all sides by Borg spheres. More turian ships were arriving, drawn from their patrols elsewhere near the Citadel, but their ships weren't enough to hold the Borg back.

On her bridge, Matriarch Lidanya sat in the command chair, angrily surveying the situation. She had suspected the Borg would attack in force but she had honestly thought the power of her ship would be sufficient to hold them back. She cursed her own foolishness in thinking herself invincible.

"We need to evacuate the Council!" she ordered sharply. "Get them onto their escape shuttle, now!"

"Yes ma'am!" one of her subordinates yelped.

Lidanya cursed as she watched the enemy ships advance on the Citadel, knowing she couldn't stop them. She only hoped she'd still be alive at the end of the day to keep cursing them - something that was looking less and less likely.

* * *

Shepard couldn't have told you what going through the Conduit was like. It was like being inside light itself, floating through a constant stream of blues and greens and yellows, utterly unable to move within it. In a moment that lasted an eternity, Shepard flew through space without a ship, and felt awed and humbled by what he saw. It was this beauty and majesty, as much as anything else, that he had come out here to see, come out here to protect from monsters like the Borg. The sight was utterly humbling, and he knew that even if he died here, today, he would be happier for having seen this.

After that eternal moment ended, Shepard found himself skidding across the presidium floor. His Hazard suit protected him from the worst of it but it still felt like carpet burn from hell, and a tear had opened up on his arm, skinning his elbow and forearm - the blood dripped onto the presidium floor, which was already filthy.

Ignoring this injury, Shepard quickly got up and took his IMod out of his transporter buffer, searching for targets. It was only then he noticed the state the Citadel presidium was in. Civilians were running around, trying to escape whatever was happening that made the place look like hell had passed through. There was a definite red tinge to the air, fire and smoke every he looked. Corpses littered the presidium. There were also a handful of Borg drones marching around - three near him were fully armoured, and one more was a recently assimilated Asari, nanoprobe growths already covering her face. Shepard took aim with him IMod and brought the group down with a few shots. He looked around to try and locate his team, removing his thankfully undamaged helmet.

He found Wrex sitting a few metres from where he had landed - the Krogan's arm was twisted at an odd angle, but he seemed none the worse for wear otherwise. He was occasionally aiming and shooting with his shotgun left handed, bringing down Borg drones with every shot.

"Shepard!" he called jovially as soon as he saw the Captain. "I like what they've done with the place. Kinda reminds me of home!"

"Wrex," Shepard nodded as he approached the Krogan. "Any sign of the others?"

As if on cue, Liara and Tali came jogging over. Liara had a cut above her right eye that was bleeding profusely, though it seemed largely superficial. Tali had a tear in the arm of her suit that she had covered with her Starfleet-yellow head cloth, exposing the tubes at the back of her environmental suit's helmet.

"Good to see you're all ok," he said, "for the most part. Report?"

"Borg everywhere," Tali reported crisply, "but C-Sec and some Starfleet are fighting back. Looks like they're mostly shooting, few assimilations."

"Most of our injuries seem superficial," Liara added, "but Wrex's arm is badly injured."

"Ah, it'll be fine," Wrex said, trying to wave with his broken arm in a brushing off gesture. He hissed in pain the minute he did so.

"My point exactly," Liara said, kneeling by him. "You need to remain here."

"Dammit, you're not leaving me out now!" he protested.

Shepard ignored their banter and looked around, trying to figure out what the tactical situation required at this precise moment.

"The greatest concentration of Borg forces seems to be around here," he said, frowning. "I'd hazard a guess that this is the result of their target being nearby."

As one, the squad's eyes turned upwards, aiming at the Citadel tower.

"Could the computer we're looking for be in there?" Liara asked.

"Seems likely," Tali reasoned. "It is the centre of galactic power - and the Borg are centred in this area."

Shepard nodded.

"Alright," he said. "Liara, stay here and look after Wrex. I also want you two to keep me informed of the situation and try to keep some Borg distracted. If things get too heated, pull out."

"Aye sir," Liara said with a nod. Wrex didn't look too happy about being left behind - but it wasn't his decision, and he knew it, so he nodded.

"Tali," Shepard said, "there's no telling what sort of tech issues we'll run into up there."

"So you want me around to open your doors and fix your broken computers," she said, her tone slightly mocking. "It's like you think I'm your chief engineer or something!"

Shepard smirked.

"Alright team," he said. "Let's get to it!"

* * *

The plan was simple and efficient, as all Borg plans were. The sentient vessel Sovereign had to interface directly with the controls of the Citadel in order to successfully summon the other Reapers. To give Sovereign access, a force of drones was deployed: the former Saren would be the drone tasked with the final implementation of the commands.

That drone walked through the halls of the Citadel tower, ignoring the other drones as they suppressed the few C-Sec to remain with disruptor fire or assimilated them in close combat. He reached the computer console in short order, inputting several commands into the console with precise efficiency.

In space, Sovereign was fighting with the few turian ships not already held up fighting Borg cubes. It sensed that the drone that had been Saren had reached it's location, and quickly headed for the Citadel tower. Some turian vessels stood in it's way, but it had neither the time nor the inclination to change course now - and so it smashed it's way through, taking minimal damage for it's troubles. Having done that, it reached the Citadel tower, docking around the structure. As it did so, the Saren drone closed the arms of the Citadel, preventing any other ships from entering the arms and thus preventing those ships from interrupting it in its work.

There was a lot of junk data clouding the command pathways, as well as something resembling deliberate sabotage that was almost certainly the doing of the Protheans. Nonetheless, Sovereign was patient. If it took a little while to break through some code, so be it. It had waited this long,

* * *

Shepard knew there were problems when the lift stopped. He turned to far Tali, who took her tricorder out and scanned.

"They've stopped the lift," she said softly. "I can override, but it will take time..."

"That we don't have," Shepard frowned. "Can your environmental suit magnetise?"

"Yes, but neither of us have sealed suits at present," Tali pointed out, indicating the tears in their respective armours. Shepard cursed, knowing she was right.

"How long?" he asked.

"A few minutes, give or take," Tali replied. She had already begun working, and Shepard knew better than to try and talk to her while she was doing so.

Suddenly, a shadow started passing over the lift. Shepard looked up through the window and swore - the Citadel arms were closing, and Sovereign was docked somehow with the top of the Citadel tower. That couldn't be good.

"Tali," he said slowly, "don't meant to rush you..."

"Then don't!" she snapped. He decided not to remind her he was still her commanding officer, and that shouting wasn't the best idea.

After what felt like the longest wait of his life, she slammed the tricorder.

"Not working!" she said. "Bosh'tet!"

"Options?" Shepard asked.

"One," Tali replied. She tore off part of her yellow scarf and handed it to Shepard. "Seal up as best we can, and hope."

Shepard nodded, wrapped the cloth around the tear in his arm, then took out his TR-116 pistol.

"We should be fine," he commented. "I think the Hazard suit is self sealing, and I know your suit is."

"That's if those systems weren't compromised," Tali pointed out. "And if you're right about your Hazard suit."

Shepard shrugged, aiming his pistol at the window.

"If I'm wrong," he said, surprisingly calm, "that's just what I get for not reading the manual first."

He fired.


	28. The Final Confrontation

**AN: In reply to yet another thoughtful unsigned review: in response to what you have said, I'm compiling a more detailed Star Trek: The Mass Effect timeline with which to clarify certain things. This clarification will come in the final chapter, and will hopefully address your issues with that side of things. As to your not being as invested as you were previously, I can but apologise. This story is what it is: Mass Effect 1 with a Star Trek "twist". Any further alterations to the basic events of Mass Effect's storyline will be in subsequent stories in the run, and I promise there are such changes to be made.**

**Thanks for reading. Enjoy this chapter. :-)**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Seven: The Final Confrontation.**

Shepard stepped out onto the exterior of the Citadel tower, feeling an odd sense of vertigo as his body adjusted to altered orientation. It didn't help that the Reaper, Sovereign, was looming directly above him - the thing was huge, dark and ominous and it scared the shit out of Shepard, much as he hated admitting it.

Fortunately, it seemed as though his Hazard suit was still providing him with protection from the elements - or lack thereof, in this case. He was surprised, but wasn't going to question providence (or good Starfleet design, whichever it was). Tali's environmental suit also seemed to be protecting her - clearly, quarians had to know a thing or two about good suit design, so that surprised him less.

"Alright," Shepard said through the helmet comm, turning to Tali to make certain she could hear him, "let's move quickly. I don't want to be out here any longer than is necessary."

"Agreed," she said, nodding. At least their comm's were still working.

They began walking, but it was slow going in the magnetised boots and the terrain was... odd. Shepard had never walked on the surface of a spacecraft or structure before, and the maze of up and down ramps, overhangs and trenches was... disorientating. Fortunately the Borg had apparently not considered the possibility of someone making the ascent this way - mostly because it was so inefficient.

"This superstructure is a maze," Tali commented as they slowly walked. "We won't get there in time like this."

Shepard privately agreed, and tried to think of an alternative. He thought back to the various kinds of emergency equipment generally packed in a Hazard suit buffer, and smiled.

"I have something that may help," he said, pressing a button on the buffer. A moment later a jetpack appeared. Shepard didn't waste a moment, slinging it onto his back and securing it in place.

"You have another one of those?" Tali asked, looking the device over as he put it on. "My buffer doesn't have one."

"'Fraid not," Shepard said, frowning slightly. "You'll have to hold on to me."

"You know, I was afraid you'd say that," Tali said, sighing slightly. Nonetheless, she realised they were in a desperate situation. She grabbed on to Shepard, who demagnetised his boots, and pushed off of the surface of the tower. "Don't let go of me," she added.

"I'll do my best," Shepard smirked. Although there was no artificial gravity that would necessarily hold them to the surface, the Citadel was so large that it had it's own gravitational pull - the minute Shepard pushed off of the surface of the tower, he and Tali began falling slowly towards the ground. He reorientated them so the jetpack was facing downwards, and then he activated the jetpack.

Slowly, the two of them began ascending towards the top of the tower.

* * *

Commodore Anderson might have been a patient man, but he hated long journeys into action, and this one was the worst. The fleet couldn't get to the Citadel any faster than it was going, and yet every second they wasted in transit, hundreds of lives could be being lost.

Admiral Hackett's Nebula class _Endeavour_ and the _Normandy_ were at the head of the fleet, with _Excalibur_ right behind them. Behind them was the rest of the fleet - notably, five Galaxy class ships, including the _Venture_ and the _Galaxy_ herself, as well as the Sovereign class _Enterprise_ and _Legacy, _and dozens of _Excelsion, Miranda, Nebula, Sabre_ and _Akira_ class starships, among others. When they got there, the plan was to hit the Borg and any other enemy ships there with everything they had. Given the research Starfleet had done recently, especially the quantum torpedo, Anderson was confident they'd at least be able to give the Borg hell before they fell.

"Helm," he asked, for what must have been the fifth time since they set course and engaged, "our ETA?"

To his credit, the helm officer didn't sound overly irritated by the question, despite having been asked it a dozen times before. "Ten minutes now, sir."

Ten minutes. It might as well have been an eternity for all the good it did them. Anderson only hoped that when they got there, they wouldn't find a ship graveyard that had once been the Citadel fleet, and a Citadel filled with Borg - or worse.

* * *

When Shepard finally stepped out onto the floor of the top level of the Citadel tower, Tali letting go of him as he did so, he frowned at the damage that had been done. The trees were burning. The body of a turian C-Sec officer was lying face down in the fountain. The air was filled with the same smoke and red aura that the lower level had. He removed his helmet, eyes wide at the ruined Council chambers.

"This is horrible," Tali said, looking around - her eyes apparently fixed on the bodies of several civilians thalaugh nearby. "Why would the Borg deliberately cause this destruction?"

"They didn't. This is probably the result of firefights with C-Sec and no consideration for collateral damage," Shepard replied grimly. He took his TR-116 out, fully prepared to engage his enemies. "Stay sharp."

She nodded, bringing out her pistol variant TR-116, and slowly the two of them began advancing. Almost immediately, a green disruptor blast impacted near them. Shepard ducked behind a wall and Tali took cover behind the wall opposite him.

"Three Borg!" she yelled over to him, ducking as another blast hit near her position. "All armoured. No recents."

Shepard nodded, and stepped out, opening fire with his TR-116. The first two drones fell nicely. The third brought a kinetic barrier up and managed to get a shot off at Shepard that struck him in the chest, before a bright red phaser beam smacked into his head. Shepard looked over at Tali, who had her phaser in her hand.

"Good shot," he congratulated. He bent over, slightly winded by the shot. Fortunately, the disruptor hit had caught a patch of ablative armour, and the dermal regenerators had dealt with the burns. Still, he wasn't doing brilliantly - according to Shepard's TED, his armour was down to 20%, and his health to 45. "We need to get moving. Sovereign will probably be already preparing to bring the Reapers through."

He stood up straight and kept walking, rifle held out in front of him. Truth he told, he hoped whatever was waiting for him at the top of this damn tower wasn't too tough - Tali looked worse for wear, with a suit rupture that would do God knew what to her systems, and he knew he didn't exactly look his best.

They kept going, running into more Borg as they did so. Fortunately, between the two of them they managed to bring down every Borg they encountered, fit up until they reached the top of the stairs and the Council chamber itself.

When they got there, the drone that had been Saren was standing, his back to them, inputting commands. Shepard aimed his rifle slowly, hoping to get a shot off before the Turian could react - and then Saren turned to face him, aiming a disruptor arm at him.

"Resistance is futile," the drone said sharply, firing a green bolt off at Shepard. The Captain took cover, the disruptor charge

"Stop!" he called out. "Please! Just stop!"

He hoped that maybe Saren's will would be strong enough to break out with enough coaxing. Failing that, maybe he could convince the Borg that bringing back a race of machines hell bent on exterminating the galaxy wouldn't be a good idea.

"Pleading is futile," the Borg said. "You will surrender to assimilation or be eradicated. Once one of these things happens, the Reapers will be brought here from dark space. They will share in Sovereign's revelation, or else be made to share it."

"I don't think he's going to break out of it any time soon," Tali commented. "Plan B?"

"Overload him!" Shepard called. "I'll shoot."

Tali nodded, whipped out her tricorder, and began inputting commands. A moment later, something sparked on the drone's exo-plating. A moment later, Shepard stepped out and shot the Borg drone in the shoulder, then in the arm, then in the leg. He charged the Borg and hit it in the face wit the butt of his rifle so hard the metal dented. The drone that had been Saren staggered back, and lay on the floor before the platform the Council stood upon when delivering pronouncements.

"What was that about resistance being futile?" Shepard asked angrily, putting his rifle back in his buffer and drawing out the pistol variant. He aimed his pistol at Saren's head.

"Do... it..." the assimilated former Spectre said softly, startling Shepard. "Do... it..."

Shepard hesitated for a moment. This man was asking for death, under Shepard's gun. Was it Shepard's duty to give it to him? Or could he be saved, even now?

"Are you...?" he began, but then the drone moved to jump him and Shepard's instincts took over, sending a TR-116 round directly into Saren's skull and throwing him backwards, through the glass floor and down into a small garden area.

"Damn," Shepard said softly. As much as he was grateful that the drone had gone down, part of him was sad that the man's last words had been a plea to die. Just one more reason to keep fighting the Borg: so this would happen to no more people. Shepard silently saluted the loss of Saren Arterius.

That done, he quickly inserted Vigil's data file into the computer. To his relief it gave him full access to the computer systems, and he used those systems to quickly reopen the Citadel arms, although the actual time between command and response was pitifully slow.

To his horror, the situation in space was rapidly deteriorating. From the looks of things, turian battleships were fighting a desperate, losing battle against Borg spheres and cubes. Although the cubes were battered and all but two of the sphere were gone, the turian fleet had taken a beating. Worse was the state of the embattled _Destiny Ascension_ - it was currently duelling a Borg cube practically alone, and though the ship was tough, no ship was that tough. Even as Shepard watched, he picked up a distress call.

"_This is the _Destiny Ascension _to any friendly ships in the area!_" the voice of what Shepard could only assume was the _Ascension's_ commander spoke. "_We are under heavy attack and require immediate assistance. The Council is on board, I say again, the Council is on board!"_

"Captain!" Tali said, standing at another part of the console, "I'm picking up another fleet entering the system!"

"Who?" Shepard asked, though his heart soared as he realised there was only one fleet it could be. The scans on the Citadel computer systems confirmed it a moment later.

Starfleet had arrived.

Two hundred and forty six Starfleet ships was certainly an impressive sight by anyone's standards, but this fleet was something else. It was filled with names that would make any Starfleet officer worth their salt swell with pride - _Endeavour, Excalibur, Enterprise, Defiant, Surak, Archer, Victory, Legacy, Sutherland, Pheonix, Valiant, Thunderchild, Zhukov, Venture, Galaxy, Centaur_... those names and over a hundred more flew towards the Citadel, but at their head was one very special ship. USS _Normandy_.

Quickly, Shepard hailed the fleet. He didn't have much time.

* * *

On the bridge of the _Normandy_, Commander Charles Pressly frowned, taking in the tactical situation. There were two Borg spheres and no less than five Borg cubes - which meant there were just under fifty Starfleet ships per cube, the same odds that might have served well at Sector 001, but had seen the fleet at Wolf 359 slaughtered. Still, the cubes looked embattled and battered, which meant that maybe - just maybe - they had a better chance here.

Even as they entered the Widow system, Kaidan Alenko's Ops console beeped.

"The Citadel is hailing the fleet, sir!" he reported. "Audio only!"

"On speaker," Pressly replied.

To his surprise, Captain Shepard's slightly panicked voice came through the speaker. "_Starfleet vessels, you need to protect the _Destiny Ascension, _I repeat, save the _Ascension_! She has the Citadel Council aboard._"

"We're saving those idiots?" Joker muttered under his breath.

"Stow it!" Pressly said sharply. "Mr Vakarian, full power to defensive systems. Find the ship attacking the _Ascension_ and get it's attention somehow!"

"Aye sir!" Garrus replied, his taloned hands already working the console that had been Ashley Williams' so recently. He might not have had her experience or flair, but Garrus Vakarian was, if nothing else, a great shot, no matter what gun you put in his hand, even if the gun was a starship and the target a bigger starship still.

* * *

The _Normandy_ raced forward, her forward phaser banks and torpedo launchers flaring with light as they fired. The cube attacking the _Ascension_ was so focused on it's task that for a moment it didn't respond, giving Joker time to repeat his skimming manoeuvre from the battle at Palaven. Behind the _Normandy_, the _Constellation_ class cruiser USS _Victory_ and the _Miranda_ class destroyer USS _Archer_ flew, launching their own torpedoes. Meanwhile, the _Sovereign_ class battleships _Legacy_ and _Enterprise_ flew past the cube, strafing it with their own phasers, gouging deep holes in the Borg cube's hull. The _Defiant_ and her sister ship _Valiant-A_ let rip with their pulse phasers, tearing little chunks out of the Borg vessel. Behind them, more and more ships flew, firing enough shots to fell any other ship - and those shots took their toll on the Borg cube, too.

In the confusion, the _Ascension_ was free to make it's way away from the fighting. It had been badly damaged, but thanks to the help of the Starfleet relief force, it had survived. Now though, the Borg cube could focus it's attacks on the Starfleet ships.

The first torpedo rammed into the _Archer_, blowing her to pieces. A phaser strike impaled the _Valiant-A_ right though her middle, blowing out mot of her power systems and leaving her dead in space. The USS _Sutherland_ passed the cube on an attack run, only to get hit by ten torpedoes rapidly fired from three different launchers, the combined force of which blew the _Nebula_ class ship apart. Another phaser shot landed out and caught the _Normandy_ across her saucer section, scarring her from port to starboard. Although it was mostly superficial, the energy feedback did have enough force to blow out a few systems on the ship.

* * *

"Dammit!" Kaidan swore as a console exploded behind him, throwing a young bridge crewman backwards, where he landed in a slightly smouldering heap. "The _Ascension_ is clear, but that thing's giving us hell!"

"Keep firing!" Pressly ordered, he had a small cut over his left eye from an explosion, but apart from that all was well. Garrus didn't verbally respond, instead concentrating on inputting more firing solutions.

"Joker!" Pressly yelled. "I need you to keep us out of their line of fire!"

"Yeah, well it's kinda hard when it seems every orifice on that thing is a freaking phaser emitter or torpedo launcher!" the helmsman replied angrily as he executed another breakneck move. "But I'll try!"

"We're being hailed by the _Enterprise_," Kaidan reported suddenly. Pressly thanked the stars - if anyone knew these thing's weaknesses, it was Picard!

"Normandy, _this is Picard on _Enterprise," came a voice on the speakers. "_Concentrate fire on the following coordinates!_"

"Receiving firing solution now!" Kaidan reported.

"Tactical, implement it!" Pressly ordered.

"Implementing now," Garrus reported, his fingers flying across the console frantically. "Firing!"

* * *

The entire fleet had received those same coordinates. It wasn't quite the same point on the Borg cube that the Captain of the _Enterprise_ had exploited at Sector 001 - the Borg had adapted away that weakness - and it took a lot more firepower than that assault had taken. Nevertheless, _Enterprise_ led the assault, throwing quantum torpedo after quantum torpedo into the cube, the _Normandy_ was right behind it, firing it's less advanced photon torpedoes as quickly as it could load them, and firing with as many phaser banks as it could. Other ships soon followed suit - _Legacy, Defiant, Venture_ - and though the Borg cube managed to get more shots off, smashing the USS _Jakarta_ to pieces and blowing a chunk out of the USS _Legacy's_ saucer, eventually the cube started suffering internal explosions as a result of the sustained fire that eventually tore it apart in a blaze of green and black.

* * *

On the bridge of the _Normandy_, Pressly and the other crew cheered and whooped. That was the second Borg cube the intrepid crew of _Normandy_ had seen destroyed and they were more than thrilled.

The battle, however, was far from over.

Kaidan's console beeped again and he quickly checked it.

"Admiral Hackett on _Endeavour_ is hailing us," he said. "Audio only."

"On speaker," Pressly ordered. At once, Admiral Hackett's rough voice spoke.

"Normandy, _the Borg cubes are being held off,_" he said, "_albeit only just. But we've got a bigger problem._"

He didn't need to explain further. As he spoke, and as the battle had gone on, the arms of the Citadel had opened up - revealing a large, black metal starship, vaguely aquatic in design, with green tinged Borg technology spread across it's hull.

"That's... big," Joker commented.

"That's Sovereign," Garrus said, eyes wide. "It's even bigger than I thought it would be!"

It was big - at least twice the size of any Borg cube. It was latched on to the Citadel tower.

"_We need to take it out,_" Hackett's voice came through the ship-to-ship comm. "_I'm ordering all ships not currently engaging Borg vessels to engage that monster, now!_"

Pressly nodded, though the Admiral couldn't see him. "Joker, engage that monster. Mr Vakarian...?"

"Already plotting best firing solutions," Garrus preempted, inputting commands into his console.

"Good," Pressly said, turning back to face the viewscreen, and Sovereign. "This is it, people. Either they're going down - or we are."

* * *

Shepard watched the fight between the Starfleet reinforcements and the Borg cube from a distance, feeling horribly impotent even as he saw the fleet destroy the cube. Then he saw the fleet setting an intercept course for Sovereign.

"Looks like they're going to deal with the Reaper," Tali commented tiredly, clearly drained from all the fighting they had been doing. "I guess our job here is done."

"Yeah," Shepard replied, sighing. "I just wish we could do something more than watch from in here."

"Something more like kill a bunch of Borg, open the Citadel arms, thus exposing Sovereign, and taking control of the computer systems you mean?" Tali said, smirking behind her mask.

Shepard shrugged, ignoring the sarcasm. "I'm a Captain, and my ship is facing a life or death situation without me. I guess I feel a little out of sorts."

"So you've finally gotten used to Captaincy?" Tali asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Maybe," Shepard replied, smiling softly.

Suddenly, from beneath them there came a rumbling, and then a shaking. The entire room began trembling, as though the Citadel were suffering some kind of inertial dampening failure. Red and green energy crackled along the walls of the chamber - and suddenly the platform gave way beneath him, pitching Shepard and Tali into the small garden area - where Saren's corpse was crackling with those same energies.

"What the hell?" Shepard swore. "Tali, what's going on?"

Tali already had her tricorder out, and was scanning Saren.

"I can't tell you, Captain," she replied, shaking her head. "His body is being wreathed in all sorts of energies I can't identify."

Shepard aimed his pistol, deciding it was better to be safe than sorry, but before he could fire a wave of energy erupted from Saren, lashing out and kicking both Starfleet officers to the ground. And then, horrifyingly, Saren stood up.

His body had been altered, most of the organic remains having been slewed off or replaced by metal. The eyes glowed a cold metallic blue, the arms shone silver.

"**We are the Borg,**" a modified version of Saren's voice spoke, horribly like the turian's real voice and yet utterly alien. "**We are Sovereign! And this station is ours!**"

Before either officer could speak or react, it launched red bolts of energy at them. Shepard ducked behind a rock, Tali taking cover opposite him.

Cursing his bad luck, Shepard called over to Tali. "I need cover fire!"

She nodded, aiming her pistol and firing at the altered Borg. The gunshots didn't seem to do anything, impacting on a kinetic barrier, but it gave Shepard the time he needed. He brought his IMod out of his buffer, and aimed, firing at what had once been Saren. The first shot impacted on what could only have been a modified shield that not even the IMod could immediately damage, although it staggered Saren somewhat. The second hit impacted on these same shields, although Shepard was sure he saw them fizzle out. Unfortunately, he couldn't get a good shot off with his IMod to take advantage of this, as Saren - or what had once been Saren, anyway - fired off another salvo. Though it missed, the impact and shockwave threw him backwards, destroying the rock he'd been taking cover behind.

"Shepard!" Tali yelled, firing with her pistol again. The shots pinged off of Saren's armour, and he responded by firing at her. Though nothing appeared to hit her directly, the blasts knocked her to the ground, stunning her. Saren turned back to Shepard, who scrambled for his IMod.

"**We told you, Shepard,**" the thing said. "**Resistance is futile."**

* * *

In space, things were no less desperate. Without any special knowledge of any weak points, the Starfleet forces were having no luck causing any significant damage to Sovereign - which was less than could be said for it's efforts.

The _Normandy, Endeavour,_ and USS _Legacy_ charged at the Reaper, firing torpedoes. In response, it fired a red beam at them - although Starfleet shields could take projectile hits, whatever this was - some kind of molten metal fired at extreme speed, according to their scans - moved too quickly and with too much concentrated force to be kept out for long, and against already damaged shields was a deadly weapon. _Normandy_ and _Endeavour_ managed to dodge the blast. The already damaged _Legacy_, on the other hand, did not, the shot going straight through her front, shattering her wounded saucer and vaporising most of her engineering section. A second beam destroyed the _Excelsior_ class USS _Maverick_, blowing it's saucer to pieces. A third shot blew the rear half of the _Akira_ class USS _Thunderchild's_ port nacelle off, though thankfully it did no further damage. The _Excalibur_ narrowly missed another shot, which unfortunately vaporised the Sabre class USS _Yeager_ instead.

"_There's no way we can beat this thing!_" the frantic voice of one Starfleet captain called on the fleet intercom.

"_That doesn't mean we aren't going to try,_" the calm voice of Admiral Hackett replied. "_All ships - keep firing! It's them or us!_"

* * *

Shepard brought his IMod up again, firing shot after hot, but the thing took it, it's shields somehow recharged. It marched straight towards Shepard, almost not even staggering as it took the shots, and as soon as it reached him it grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up.

"**We will bring the Reapers here!**" it said, almost shouting as it throttled the life out of the Captain.

"We... we will stop you," Shepard choked out, barely able to breathe, much less speak.

"**You cannot stop us," **the thing sneered at him.** "Your lives as they were are over. All life will bow before the synthesis of organic and machine...!**"

Suddenly, a ruby red phaser beam struck the thing that had been Saren in the arm it was choking Shepard with, and it snarled in mechanised pain, turning to face the source of this new attack. It looked up at the broken platform - to see Liara T'Soni and Urdnot Wrex aiming their weapons down at it, both looking battered, but determined. Wrex was grinning the largest Krogan grin you could imagine. He aimed his shotgun one handed, and said just two words.

"Assimilate this."

He and Liara fired, the combined shotgun spread and phaser blast driving it's shields down and weakening it's armour. Shepard recovered enough to grab his IMod, and aimed it straight at the thing that had been Saren's face. Without a word, he fired.

The misty lie energy blast smashed into the thing's head, taking most of it off. The headless corpse stood upright for a moment, as if registering the fact that it had stopped being alive, and then slowly toppled backwards, dissolving into ashes as it did so. By the time it impacted the ground, there was nothing left.

"Shepard, are you alright?" Liara called down.

"I'm fine!" Shepard replied, gasping slightly. "Just see to Tali!"

Liara nodded and jumped down, running over to the feebly stirring quarian. Wrex looked down at Shepard, who looked back up at him.

"So do I get that promotion now?" the Krogan asked. Shepard laughed.

* * *

The minute the drone that had been Saren ceased functioning, Sovereign's functions were disrupted. It had invested significant run times to the running of the Saren drone, and it's destruction caused Sovereign to have to reorder those runtimes back into useful service. Unfortunately for Sovereign, this left it paying no attention to it's defensive capabilities for approximately four seconds - and when a fleet of Starfleet ships was firing everything they had at it, that might as well have been an eternity.

The _Thunderchild, Enterprise, Normandy, Endeavour, Agincourt, Victory_ and _Excalibur_ all fired shots - both phasers and torpedoes - at that exact moment, all of which hit the Reaper while it's shields were down. None of the crews of those ships ever figured out, given the sheer volume of fire directed at the Reaper, which shot actually crippled the giant warship, but all of them claimed some credit for damaging it. Thus crippled, Sovereign could no longer hold onto the Citadel tower and began slowly descending, it's shields disabled permanently. While in this state, more shots hit it, splintering the giant warship and causing several massive detonations inside it's workings that fragmented it.

Unfortunately, one of those fragments was a small part of one of it's "digits", so to speak - the fragment flew straight towards the window of the Council chambers...

* * *

Inside the Council chambers, Shepard and his team had begun limping down the stairs, all of them battered and drained from this battle. It was at that moment that Shepard noticed the shadow quickly darkening the room.

He turned, and saw the fragment of the Reaper flying towards the window. He had time to yell for his team to take cover, just before everything went dark.


	29. Epilogue

**AN: This chapter contains the timeline I promised to post. This should clarify precisely what the Star Trek universe's relationship with the Mass Effect universe is. Some of these events listed will be part of the sequel's story. Incidentally, when an event is not specifically listed or contradicted, assume it is the same. While you may not agree with the events listed, they are as listed and serve as a basis for the story I've written and the remainder of that story to come. **

* * *

**Epilogue.**

Anderson had certainly seen the Citadel looking better, that much he should say without a shadow of a doubt. He snorted in grim amusement, drawing a curious look from one of the officers under his command. He waved it off.

There wasn't really a lot you could think of when you saw the scale of devastation that Anderson was seeing, and humour - graveyard humour but humour all the same - was the only thing he could think up. The presidium was a burnt wreck, that much he knew from reports, and up here at the top of the Citadel tower was no better. There were bodies - human, Asari, turian, Salarian and Borg - all over the place, some of them shot to hell and back with C-Sec rifles or burnt by Borg disruptors. The worst were the partially assimilated bodies: those who could have been saved.

After Sovereign's destruction, the three remaining Borg cubes had retreated, apparently sensing that their opportunity to succeed had passed and reasoning that suffering additional casualties was unnecessary. Admiral Hackett had refused to send ships after them, reasoning that they had lost too many to make a reasonable attempt to chase them. That much was certainly true; of the two hundred and forty six starships Starfleet had dispatched to aid the Citadel, less than ninety had survived, the rest being destroyed in combat with the Borg ships. That wasn't the half of it - more than thirty turian ships - an entire Citadel defence fleet - had been detroyed, with only the _Destiny Ascension_ and a handful of others surviving. Nonetheless - they had won, the Borg driven off or destroyed and Sovereign - if one could count the monster ship a separate threat - dealt with.

He was now on the Citadel - along with three members of Starfleet's biotic corps and a half dozen other medical and tech officers - because this was the last known location of Captain Shepard of the Normandy before the destruction of Sovereign. Sovereign's debris had struck the tower, and there was now a significant worry that the Captain had been lost, killed by the debris at the very cusp of a victory he had made possible. It would have been a blow to morale - and a kick in the teeth to Anderson personally - if that were the case.

"Any sign of his team?" he asked a nearby medic, who was scanning the debris. She was an Asari Starfleet officer, one of few in the fleet.

"Seems like there are a handful of faint life signs around," the medic replied, frowning. "One is definitely a Krogan."

"Where?" Anderson asked. In reply, the medic led a couple of her colleagues down a ladder that led into a small garden area under the Council platform. The area was blocked from view by rubble and debris.

"Down here!" the medic called. Anderson quickly jogged over to see what the yelling was about,

To his relief, there were survivors. One of them was an Asari in a Hazard suit with green trim and no rank markings, denoting a scientist. Most likely Liara T'Soni. The others were a Krogan - Urdnot Wrex, Anderson remembered from Shepard's reports - and the quarian Lieutenant Zorah of the _Normandy_, each wearing the respective outfits of their species, albeit in Starfleet colours. Wrex had a badly mangled arm, T'Soni was bleedg from multiple cuts and Lieutenant Zorah's suit was badly torn up, but other than that they seemed fine.

"Glad to see everyone's alright," he said to them, slowly. "I don't suppose you know where Shepard is?"

The quarian Lieutenant looked up at him, and though Anderson couldn't see her face, something about the slump in her shoulders told him to expect the worse.

"Dammit," he said softly. If this was true - if Shepard was dead - them Starfleet had just lost a good officer, and Anderson had lost a friend: it was almost too much, especially after losing over a hundred and fifty ships and most of their crews.

The medical team came down the ladder and began seeing to the team's various injuries. Anderson sighed, and sat near a pile of rubble, contemplating everything Starfleet had lost these past few days.

Suddenly, there was a slight shift in the rubble next to him. He turned to look at it, bemused - and caught sight of a bit of exposed grey and black uniform. Quickly he began clearing rubble off of the figure, revealing - to his relief and worry - the prone, feebly stirring figure of Captain Shepard.

His Hazard suit was torn and battered, and he was bleeding from multiple lacerations, but he was definitely alive. His eyes were opening blearily, looking around, and after a moment, they fixed on Anderson.

"Commodore," he said, quietly. He clearly didn't have the strength to speak much. "I guess we won?"

"Yes," Anderson smiled, relieved to see the Captain alive. "We won."

"Go us," Shepard said with a wry smile, and then he fainted.

* * *

The next few days were a blur. The Council talked about adding a monument to fallen Starfleet officers on the presidium. The fleet itself spent the next few days getting fixed up, repairing and salvaging what they could of the destroyed vessels, before dispersing back to assigned duties. This had been a terrible loss of life for Starfleet, but they would get through it and come out stronger like they always did.

Shepard was sitting in his ready room on _Normandy_, looking out of the observation port at the Citadel. The ship had taken a beating during the battle and was among dozens of others getting repaired in space with the help of Citadel tech crews.

There was a lot to rebuild, but Shepard was more concerned with the Reapers. Although Sovereign had been defeated, Shepard wasn't entirely convinced that there was no other way for the Reapers to return from Dark Space.

His computer beeped, grabbing his attention, and he turned to answer it. To his surprise, it was Commodore - now Admiral - Anderson.

"_Shepard_," he said with a smile. "_It's good to see you. How are the repairs coming along?_"

"Well, sir," Shepard replied, sitting down. "_Normandy_ should be back up to full spec in the space of a week."

"_Glad to hear it,_" Anderson said. He paused, clearly having something unpleasant to say. "_I spoke to command. They're looking into the possibility of upgrading the fleet again, in the wake of Sovereign's attack, but I'm not sure they'll go for it. They're not fully dismissing the possibility of a full scale invasion, but they're not making noises or moves to do enough about it. Just my opinion, of course._"

Shepard sighed. "I knew it would be too much to hope."

"_Even if they don't act on the Reapers, they're definitely alright with working against the Borg,_" Anderson added, clearing trying to brighten the mood. Shepard appreciated it. "_They're authorising increased patrol missions to keep our borders and colonies out there safe._"

"Good to know," Shepard smiled. "I take it that's my marching orders?"

"Normandy _has a patrol run scheduled, yes,_" Anderson replied. "_I'll have details sent to you."_

Shepard sighed, and looked back out of the observation port.

"They'll come you know," he said softly. "You know they will."

"_I know,_" Anderson replied, trying to sound encouraging. "_But when they do, we'll be ready for them._"

"Yah," Shepard said. "I'd better get on with seeing to those repairs."

"_I'll leave you to it then,_" Anderson said, nodding. "_Good luck, Captain._"

The Admiral's face was replaced by the UFP symbol, and Shepard sighed. Anderson meant well, but all his call had done was cement Shepard's worries that they would never be ready for the Reapers. The Captain frowned in determination. That just meant he'd have to be ready when they came.

His door chimed.

"Enter," he called.

Tali entered, her suit fully repaired. She held a PADD in her hands, and clearly she wanted to discuss some ship's business to do with the repairs

"Captain," she said formally. She paused, apparently noticing all was not well. "Are you alright?"

Shepard motioned for her to sit down, and she did so.

"I just got a call from Anderson," he began. "We'll be going out on patrols to keep an eye out for further Borg activity after this."

"Isn't that good?" she asked, confused at his apparent sadness. "We'll be able to stop them getting to anyone else."

"Maybe," Shepard said, not looking at her. "But not at the expense of preparing for the Reapers."

Tali nodded slowly, understanding his concern now.

"Captan," she said, then she hesitated. "Shepard... we'll prepare. We know they're coming now. And when they come, we'll face them together."

"Yeah." Shepard smiled at her, more to reassure her than because he felt like smiling. Admittedly though, he liked the idea of defacing off against the Reapers with her - with all of his friends and crewmates - by his side. It did reassure him somewhat.

But even as they talked ship's business, he thought about the Reapers. No matter how well they prepared, Shepard knew they were in for dark days ahead.

This wasn't over yet.

* * *

**Timeline of events.**

**2336**: First discovery of Prothean ruins on Mars by Federation scientists during new archeological digs. Discovery of Mass Relays.

**2341**: Initial work on combination Warp/Relay drives begins, based on modified Prothean notes.

**2342**: USS _Enterprise-C_ fitted with relay drives and sent on test flight through a relay in a system near Earth. They emerge near the citadel, where they begin first contact procedures. Despite some tensions, these proceedings go well, and the _Enterprise_ crew and her Captain, Rachel Garrett, are later honoured by the Citadel authorities.

**2343**: Jack Harper, a Lieutenant Commander, begins speaking out against the purely peaceful footing Starfleet maintains, instead advocating a war footing in several articles and essays. While he is not listened to by Starfleet at large, Section 31 sees the potential in the officer and recruits him, where he quickly rises in rank.

**2344**: USS _Enterprise-C_ lost at Narendra III defending Klingon colonists. The Citadel Council honours their bravery with a statue of the _Enterprise-C_ on the presidium.

**2346**: When human biotics begin being discovered, the Federation commissions a study on biotic potential.

**2348**: The Federation receives an embassy on the Citadel, albeit as an ally and not a subordinate state.

**2355**: Kal'Reegar becomes the first quarian to join Starfleet.

**2357**: The Starfleet biotic corps is established: biotic Starfleet officers, trained by specialists brought in from Citadel space, are given a special departmental colour (purple) and sent to situations and assignments where their abilities will be of use, such as on aid relief missions and critical combat missions. This, however, precludes the possibility of them becoming Captains or of them having postings lasting longer than the next emergency, unless they are part of a commando squad: this effectively ostracises them from much of the fleet, leading to many biotics ignoring their potential to remain in "regular" Starfleet. Criticism of this practice is almost immediate, but due to it's extreme usefulness in the field it continues.

Kal'Reegar is assigned to USS _Excalibur_, where he spends the next two years serving with distinction.

**2359**: Kal'Reegar leaves Starfleet, returning to the migrant fleet.

**2365**: First contact with the Borg. Shepard joins Starfleet around this time.

**2367**: First Borg invasion, assimilation of Jean-Luc Picard. Battle of Wolf 359. Death of Lieutenant Commander Ronald Taylor on USS _Melbourne_. Lieutenant Zaeed Massani injured in action on USS _Endeavour_.

Jack Harper, now an Admiral, renews calls for increased militarisation. These calls are again largely ignored by Starfleet at large, but some Admirals take notice. Harper, now a senior member of Section 31, begins planning for a massive military buildup despite this, planning to use Section 31 resources to good effect.

Starfleet begins designing and construction of USS _Defiant_, an experimental warship design, largely on the strength of Admiral Harper's recommendations. The designs are, unknown to the Utopia Planetia officers, appropriated by Section 31.

**2369**: Bajoran wormhole discovered after Cardassian withdrawal from Bajor.

**2370**: The Dominion are discovered on the far side of the wormhole. The USS _Odyssey_ is destroyed in combat with Jem Hadar, prompting Starfleet to begin aggressively exploring research into improving ship defensive capabilities. Among these capabilities are the advanced phaser compression rifles later used on USS _Voyager_, the phaser assault rifles later deployed on USS _Enterprise-E_, the TR-116 rifle, as well as modified shield and weapon technologies deployed over the next five years.

**2371**: USS _Defiant_ deployed at Deep Space Nine.

USS _Voyager_ lost in Delta Quadrant while on mission - as the ship is sent, it's mass relay drive is damaged beyond their ability to repair, complicating it's attempts to return. They begin using conventional warp drive to travel home.

**2372**: Starfleet continues building forces, both as a countermeasure to the threat of the Dominion and the worries of a second major Borg attack.

**2373**: USS Enterprise-E thwarts a Borg attack on Sector 001. Starfleet's efforts in building a stronger fleet and superior weapons pay off in terms of their fleet's survival, and research along these lines is intensified. The then Ensign Shepard is stationed on the Enterprise during this time, and these events later shape his service on USS Normandy.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya joins Starfleet.

The Federation continues buildup efforts for war.

**2374**: USS _Voyager_ encounters the Borg for the first time, acquiring their crewman Seven of Nine in the process. In response to the increased Borg threat the ship faces, her tactical officer, Tuvok, begins designing various countermeasures, including the Hazard suit and - with Seven of Nine's help - the Infinity Modulator, or IMod.

War with the Dominion narrowly averted, partially thanks to the intervention of the Citadel Council, who promise to support the Federation in any such conflict. Faced with these numbers, the Dominion holds off on their war plans for now, although Starfleet analysts believe they will invade once they feel they are strong enough to take on both governments and their allies.

USS _Normandy_ begins construction.

**2375**: USS _Voyager_ returns to Federation space after eventually acquiring resources to repair their Mass Effect drive. The ship's anti-Borg countermeasures, such as Hazard suits and IMods, are adopted by Starfleet on the whole in preparation for combat and in recognition of the increasingly dangerous universe the Federation inhabits.

Events of Star Trek: The Mass Effect occur.

* * *

**And so we reach the final curtain, finally. It's been fun, and I hope if you've read this far that you've enjoyed this ride with me. The sequel is already in progress and should be posted soon, although I intend to write up a fair few chapters before I begin posting it - I now have a somewhat undeserved reputation for rapidly updating that needs to be kept, after all, so I can't just post the first chapter and hope my inspiration streak continues. It might not, after all.**

**Special thanks must go to the following reviewers.**

**Just a Crazy-Man: thank you for continued enthusiasm in every review, right up to the very end. **

**korrd: thank you for thoughtful reviews that express a great deal of engagement with both the story and the source material. This has helped greatly in my efforts with this story, making me think about things that had not occurred to me, and I appreciate it greatly. **

**The "Guest" reviewer(s) who kept leaving very long and thoughtful unsigned reviews: Again, your reviews helped me to iron out flaws that I would not have realised were present, and I thank you for this. **

**Sora with an S: thank you for complementing both the speed of my updates and their content. **

**Aoirann, Vahn, Z-King, Chris1701ab, aDarkOne: thank you all for your enthusiasm and engagement. **

**Anyone I missed: thank you all for taking the time to read and review my story. **

**Anyone who favourited: thank ****_you_**** all for taking the time to read and favourite my story: I take it as a good sign. **

**Thank you so much for coming with me this far. It is truly appreciated, and I hope you all enjoyed it.**


	30. Bonus: ISS Normandy

**AN: Hello good readers! If you're reading this, then part two of this story, "Star Trek: The Mass Effect 2" (yup, I'm great with names) has started being posted, and I hope you'll go read and review that with the same love and attention to detail as you did this story. However, I didn't want to just plug a story without giving you some content in this chapter, so here is a special little bonus scene that I've had in my head for a while. Enjoy :-)**

* * *

**Bonus Chapter: ISS _Normandy_.**

Captain John Shepard of the _Conquerer_ class ISS _Normandy_ NCC 90000 sat back in his command chair, lazily observing the turian ship that was visible on his viewscreen: another enemy of the Terran Empire, about to be brought to it's knees by his hand. He smiled slightly, a cruel twist on his lips broken up by a vicious scar that ran from the tip of his right eyebrow, past his nose, across his mouth and down to his chin. His uniform was the modified waistcoat-over-turtleneck design favoured by some Captains, worn open. By the side of his chair stood Charles Pressly, his XO. Shepard had chosen the man because he was intelligent and, more importantly, unambitious, being oddly content with his station in life.

"Tactical," he said to Ashley Williams, his weapons officer. "I want that ship crippled."

Williams was a dark skinned, dark haired woman, unscarred but with a cruel gleam in her dark eyes. She was dressed in the typical midriff-baring uniform of the Terran Starfleet uniform for women. The trim of her truncated undershirt was yellow, demonstrating her position as a soldier.

"Yes sir," she replied with a vicious grin.

"Helm," Shepard continued, and Jeff Moreau - his cybernetic limbs whirring as he moved - turned to face the Captain. "Curse four four two mark six. If he fires, execute manoeuvre Shepard 16."

"Four four two mark six and Shepard 16, aye," Moreau replied clinically. The man had no sense of humour but was as diligent a helm officer as one could possibly imagine.

"Minimal threat ship, all things considered," Pressly said quietly. "Designed for hit and run, not a direct confrontation - and certainly not with us."

"That makes it all the better," Shepard replied, smiling.

The execution of his orders was done quickly and effectively - the Conquerer class starship easily overmatched it's pitiful prey, and a few moments after the engagement had begun, it was already over. The enemy ship was crippled, multiple hull breaches torn along it's hull by his ship's phaser array.

"Tactical," he said to Williams slowly, "life signs on enemy vessel?"

"Out of a crew of over six hundred," she replied, clipped and efficient, "there are eighty six survivors."

"Not bad," Shepard nodded, half turning his head to look at her. "Not perfect. I was kind of hoping there'd be eighty five. I like round numbers like that."

"Easily done, sir," Ashley said with a darkly flirtatious smile. She inputted three commands into her tactical console, and a moment later, a turian appeared on the bridge. The alien had time to look around his new location in fear and shock, before Ashley vaporised him with her hand phaser. Smiling, she looked at her console. "Now reading eighty five survivors, sir."

"Perfect," Shepard said, grinning at her. "Mr Alenko."

Kaidan Alenko, the Captain's dark haired Ops officer and personal assassin, turned in his chair to face Shepard. He didn't verbally respond - he no longer could, his throat having been torn out by a varren, destroying his vocal cords. He had refused vocaliser implants, instead becoming a mute - and if anything, it made him an even more deadly assassin, as well as the best Ops officer Shepard could have asked for since he never told Shepard bad things.

"Hail the enemy ship," Shepard ordered.

Without any sign that he had heard, Kaidan turned back to his console, inputting commands. A moment later, the face of the captain of the hostile ship appeared on the Normandy's viewscreen. It was another turian: this one had slate grey skin, cybernetics implanted in his eyes, and a bionic replacement arm and eyes.

"_I am Captain Saren Arterius of the Freedom Coalition vessel_ Spectre," the turian said grimly. "_Explain the reason for this attack_."

"The _Spectre_," Shepard grinned at his enemy. "I think you know what I want, turian."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Arterius replied, snarling slightly. "All I know is you attacked my ship."

"Come now, you aren't a fool," Shepard said, leaning back in his chair. "You've committed terrorist actions against my Empire. Does a little nowhere colony called Eden Prime mean anything to you?"

The face of Saren Arterius turned thoughtful for a moment, and then he nodded.

"_The colony I hit with my last strike on your Empire's space_," he said sharply, apparently seeing no reason to deny his actions - probably thinking (rightly) that he was dead either way. "_There were human civilian casualties: barely any reparation for the millions of turian dead during the war. Do you expect me to apologise?_"

"Of course not," Shepard laughed heartily. The very idea was ridiculous, and besides: Shepard never wasted his time with lost causes. "Soldiers don't apologise for their actions, certainly not soldiers like you." His expression sobered. He actually had respect for the ruthlessness of his enemy, even if he was a turian ass. "No, Captain Arterius, I expect you to die. I just wanted you to see my face before you did. Soldiers deserve to look their death in the eye."

Arterius didn't reply for a moment, but there was a slight nod of something almost like respect.

"Thank you, Captain," he said. "It is better to know the face of one's killer."

Shepard made a gesture and closed off the transmission. He made a second gesture, and Williams inputted a command into the tactical station. A moment later, the turian ship was destroyed by a series of tricobalt devices launched from Normandy's torpedo launchers. The explosion lit up the bridge, and for a moment, the shadows around Shepard's eyes seemed to lift.

And then the light was done, and Shepard sighed. He stood up.

"I'm going to settle some other business," he said. "Pressly, you have the bridge."

"Aye sir," the man said. Shepard ignored him as he left the bridge.

* * *

Down in the engineering section, Shepard met up with the person who was effectively his chief engineer, albeit with none of the respect of an actual officer. She was bloody, bruised, scars all over her body, wearing a battered jumpsuit. Her dark hair was cropped short and there was an ugly metal implant inserted into her neck that was designed to regulate her immune system. She looked up at him with silver eyes that were somehow filled with malice. Other crewmen milled around the engine room, but Shepard had no time for them.

"Clear the room," he said. Immediately, the grey and yellow uniformed officers left the room, unwilling to risk their Captain's ire. The girl kept staring at him.

"Captain," she said, her tone somehow making the term an insult.

"Miss Zorah," Shepard replied evenly. "And how is your implant suiting you?"

Tali'Zorah nar Haestrom didn't answer - before he had met her, she had, like most of her species, been confined to an environmental suit as a metaphorical crutch, since their immune systems were pathetically weak when they left their home system. He had saved her from an unpleasant death - on the proviso that she become one of his engineers and work for her keep. It was a better deal than many alien species got from the Terran Empire. It had helped that she had "picked up" data on Saren's movements.

"I came down here," Shepard said after a moment, "to tell you that Saren is dead. Your data was invaluable leading us to him. Thank you."

The girl looked uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going.

"You're... welcome...?" she said.

"However," Shepard added, walking around to stand behind her, "this leaves you in the position of having no further use on this ship beyond your prodigious, but ultimately replaceable engineering talent."

She said nothing as he spoke, but her posture stiffened - Shepard was within his right to execute any crew member aboard.

"So," Shepard continued, "I find myself contemplating new uses you may have."

"Such as?" she asked coldly. It was clear what she was thinking, and Shepard laughed.

"You have a fairly pleasing form, considering your alien nature," he said, still chuckling, "but that isn't what I meant." He walked around to face her again. "You see, I know a few things about the quarian race. An incredibly isolationist semi theocratic empire with a loose combination of ancestor and technology worship as it's main religion. Almost no contact outside your system, save for the Pilgrimage of your youth. Centred around a few small systems." He leaned in and whispered softly. "And you have the geth, of course."

Zorah said nothing, but her silver eyes were wide with terror.

"You needn't look so scared," Shepard said. "I've been thinking this one over for a while." He walked around to stand behind her again. "Since taking over the Citadel, the leaders of the Terran Empire have become soft. They ignore warnings given of threats, assuming they are safe in their cradle of power." Shepard snorted. "And while I'd happily let the scum burn, the rest of us will burn with them."

"You're talking about the Reapers," Zorah said after a moment, "that delusion of yours."

His hand moved faster than his mind and he backhanded her across the face, sending her sprawling to the deck.

"It is no delusion!" he yelled. He took a breath to calm himself. "The Prothean beacon was quite specific, and melding with the late lamented Dr T'Soni clarified the vision enough for me to recognise it's warnings." He walked away from her slightly, standing with his back to her, hands firmly clasped behind his back. "They are coming, and the glorious Terran Empire will be as dust in the wind before them."

"So what do you want from me?" Zorah asked. "If they're so powerful, what can I do?"

"Your geth are the most powerful military in history," Shepard replied. "Even more formidable than the Terran fleet. If I had them, I could sweep away the impotent Senate and the failure of a military bureaucracy, and replace it with strong, formidable warriors, ready to face the Reaper threat."

"With yourself as Emperor," Zorah finished, sneering slightly.

"Exactly," Shepard said, smiling. "All I need is the geth."

"And how do you propose getting the geth?" the quarian girl asked, turning to face him, her eyes burning into his. "It would take the High Machinist to approve their use by any outsider."

Shepard smiled, a devilish grin that seemed to light his eyes with a burning, passionate fire.

"I know that," he said softly. "Miss High Machinist."

She stepped back, her eyes widening.

"Me?" she asked.

"I've done some research. I know you are third in succession," Shepard said, turning away from her. "The childless Han'Gerrel has made your father, his closest ally, his successor. Your father has you. And you hate your father."

"What makes you say that?" Zorah asked.

"Like I said, I've done my research," Shepard replied, turning to look back at her. "You ran as far as you could on your Pilgrimage. That is clue enough." He paused. "I can have him assassinated - no one need ever know of your involvement or mine. As for Han'Gerrel, his military obsessions often lead him into conflict on the turian border. It would be such a shame for him to die in battle, but he would be well remembered."

Zorah turned away from him, apparently contemplating his proposal.

He kept speaking. "Once you were the High Machinist, it would be a simple question of opening an alliance with me. I have Hackett's fleet, Anderson's fleet, and the Krogan Imperium on my side: the Empire would be mine with the geth's aid, and then we could prepare for the Reapers. Even on the off chance that I am wrong, you lose nothing."

The quarian turned to face him.

"What's the catch?" she asked, a deep frown on her face. "Terrans always have a catch."

"True," Shepard admitted its a shrug. "My Terran allies won't accept any alien help and won't fight for me unless that alien help is at least nominally a vassal of the Terran Empire. So you'd be officially an 'Intendant', and you'd ostensibly answer to me." He smirked. "I have no interest in quarian sovereignty, however. Help me and you can - provided you don't threaten the Empire or abandon the fight against the Reapers - govern yourselves completely free of Imperial interference."

"Sounds too good to be true," Zorah said, folding her arms. Shepard sighed, and leaned against a wall.

"If I am right," he said after a moment, "then the Reapers are the greatest threat the galaxy has ever known. Incredibly numerous, incredibly powerful. They all but wiped out the Protheans, and the Protheans were the ones who created most of the technology the Citadel Coalition and your own people use." He gave a tired smile, free of his usual malice. "I will do what I must. Taking the Empire benefits this goal. Making you the quarian leader benefits this goal. Making you the quarian leader with actual freedoms benefits this goal. Therefore it happens."

Zorah nodded slowly.

"Ok," she said. "What do I do?"

"You go home, complete your pilgrimage, in about three weeks," Shepard replied. "Gerrel will be dead before you go back. I have agents ready to assassinate your father three weeks later. I then have a failed assassination attempt on you. Nothing seems suspicious."

Zorah nodded again, clearly thinking it over.

"No," she said after a moment, folding her arms and smirking slightly, "I think I have a better idea."

"Oh?" Shepard asked, confused and not a little annoyed.

"Yes. You do all that - and then once I am High Machinist, I marry you, cementing a more permanent alliance between our two empires that is not so easy to break as one of simple paper," the quarian said, her lips forming a devilish smile of their own. "Plus you did say you found my form 'fairly pleasing'. I could say the same of you."

Shepard laughed loudly. "Oh, you're canny. Yes, a marriage of convenience might not be such a bad idea - and the perks would be interesting enough I can imagine."

"I'll wager you'd find them more than 'interesting', Captain," Zorah replied, her voice resembling flirty, but with a dangerous edge that sent an oddly exciting shiver down Shepard's spine.

"Very well, Miss Zorah," he said softly, "I'm going to go see to ship's business. I think you should come to my cabin this evening to further discuss our arrangement."

He turned to go, and Zorah grabbed his arm, leaning in close to him.

"I think you'd best start calling me Tali," she said quietly. "In light of our... _arrangement_."

He smiled.

"Alright Tali," he said, stepping away and walking towards the exit. "I'll see you later."

He walked out. A few moments later, the rest of the engineering crew came back in, returning to their work. Tali turned to her console and opened a private chat. There she wrote a slightly cryptic message - she had to be careful, but

_Deal accepted. He place this evening. All will be as discussed. TZ._

She sent it to her ally. A few moments later, a response came through.

_Understood. Will make preparations to move up the ladder, and then preparations to break the top. All will be as discussed. KA._

She smiled, thinking of the time that was coming soon when she would be both high machinist and the ruler of the Terran Empire - and all because some officer had a grudge. She smirked to herself. Sometimes it was good to be on the lower decks.

No one ever saw you coming.


End file.
